UK name, mostly girls
Christen
Feminine form of Christian, meaning "follower of Christ".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2003. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 3 boys.
Christen is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Christen popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2003 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4373, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 3 births.
This profile covers 9 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 1996 to 2003. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 9 living people in the UK are called Christen. 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 2004 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Christen ranked #4373 for girls in England and Wales in 2003, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 3 girls were registered as Christen.
- • Christen is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 9 living people in the UK are estimated to have Christen as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 75.0% of Christen registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4373
2003
Births in 2003
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
3 births
Estimated living
9
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Christen
In England and Wales birth records, Christen has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 25.0% of registrations are for boys and 75.0% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Christen registered for boys
- Ranked #3,467 in 2003
- 3 boys registered in 2003
- Peak: 2003 (3 births)
Christen registered for girls
- Ranked #4,373 in 2003
- 3 girls registered in 2003
- Peak: 1996 (3 births)
Meaning
What does Christen mean?
The name Christen is derived from the Greek word "Christos", meaning "anointed one" or "the anointed". It is a reference to Jesus Christ, who was believed to be the Messiah or the anointed one of God in Christian tradition. The name is closely associated with Christianity and has its origins in the early days of the religion.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Christen can be found in the New Testament of the Bible. In the Gospel of John, the name "Christ" is used to refer to Jesus numerous times. The name was adopted by early Christians as a way to identify themselves as followers of Christ.
Throughout the medieval period, the name Christen became popular in various European countries, particularly those with strong Christian traditions. In England, the name Christen was sometimes used as a variant of the name Christian, which was more commonly used.
One notable historical figure with the name Christen was Christen Pedersen (1480-1554), a Danish humanist scholar and Protestant reformer. He played a significant role in the Reformation in Denmark and translated the New Testament into Danish.
Another famous bearer of the name was Christen Sørensen Longberg (1562-1647), a Norwegian farmer and folk hero. He is known for leading a peasant uprising against the Danish authorities in Norway, protesting the harsh treatment and taxation of the local population.
In the 17th century, Christen Friis Rottbøll (1675-1758) was a Danish jurist and politician who served as the Mayor of Copenhagen and played a influential role in the city's governance.
Moving to the 19th century, Christen Thomesen Bravein (1839-1923) was a Norwegian painter and artist known for his landscape paintings depicting Norwegian scenery.
In more recent history, Christen Peder Christensen (1876-1950) was a Danish botanist and plant collector who made significant contributions to the study of South American flora, particularly in Bolivia and Peru.
While the name Christen has its roots in Christianity and the Bible, it has been used across various cultures and regions over the centuries. The name has evolved and adapted to different linguistic and cultural contexts, but its association with the Christian faith remains strong.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Christen over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Christen in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2003. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Christen, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2003, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Christen by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Christen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4373 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #3848 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Christen
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Christen: questions and answers
How popular is the name Christen in the UK right now?
In 2003, Christen was ranked #4373 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Christen most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 3 babies registered as Christen in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Christen?
Feminine form of Christian, meaning "follower of Christ".
How many people are called Christen in the UK?
A total of 9 babies have been registered as Christen across the 3 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.