NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Christal

Feminine given name based on the name "Christina", derived from Greek meaning "follower of Christ".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Christal is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Christal popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5666, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 12 births.

This profile covers 44 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 1996 to 2018. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 44 living people in the UK are called Christal. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2019 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Christal ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2007, when 12 girls were registered as Christal.
  • About 44 living people in the UK are estimated to have Christal as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5666

2018

Births in 2018

3

Latest year

Peak year

2007

12 births

Estimated living

44

2026

Meaning

What does Christal mean?

The name Christal is a relatively modern variant of the more traditional name Crystal, which is derived from the ancient Greek word "krystallos," meaning "ice" or "frozen water." This name likely originated in the Byzantine Empire during the medieval period, where it was used to describe the beautiful and transparent quartz gemstones prized for their clarity and brilliance.

While the name Crystal has been in use since ancient times, the variant spelling Christal is a more recent development, emerging in the late 19th or early 20th century. This variation likely arose as a way to distinguish the name from its more common counterpart or to add a unique flair to the traditional spelling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Christal can be found in the 1911 census records of the United States, where a small number of individuals were listed with this spelling. However, it was not until the mid-20th century that the name gained wider popularity, particularly in certain regions of the United States and Europe.

Notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Christal include Christal Lea Henner (born 1942), an American actress known for her roles in television shows like "Taxi" and "Evening Shade." Another famous Christal is Christal Rheams (born 1971), an American basketball player who competed in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, winning gold and bronze medals respectively.

In the literary world, Christal Clashing (born 1958) is a British author and journalist known for her works exploring themes of identity, culture, and feminism. Additionally, Christal Mannchen (born 1961) is a German artist and sculptor whose works have been exhibited internationally.

It is worth noting that while the name Christal has gained some recognition and usage over the past century, it remains a relatively uncommon name compared to its more traditional counterpart, Crystal. As such, historical records and references to individuals bearing this specific spelling may be more limited.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Christal over time

The chart below shows babies named Christal registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Christal, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 12 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Christal
036912199620072018

Decades

Christal by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Christal was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #5698 6 2
2000s #3831 29 6
1990s #3101 9 2

Related

Names similar to Christal

FAQ

Christal: questions and answers

How popular is the name Christal in the UK right now?

In 2018, Christal was ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Christal most popular?

The peak year on record was 2007, with 12 babies registered as Christal in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Christal?

Feminine given name based on the name "Christina", derived from Greek meaning "follower of Christ".

How many people are called Christal in the UK?

A total of 44 babies have been registered as Christal across the 10 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.