UK boy's name
Kris
A Scandinavian modern name derived from the Greek word Khristos meaning "follower of Christ".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kris is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kris popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 20 births.
This profile covers 275 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 1,241 living people in the UK are called Kris. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kris ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 20 boys were registered as Kris.
- • Kris ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #415 in 2015.
- • About 1,241 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kris as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3688
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
1996
20 births
Estimated living
1,241
2026
Meaning
What does Kris mean?
The name Kris has its origins in the Greek language and is derived from the word "Christos," which means "anointed one." It is a shortened version of the name Kristos or Christopher and has been in use since ancient times.
In the early days of Christianity, the name Kris was often associated with followers of Christ or those who had been baptized. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in Greek and Latin texts from the 4th and 5th centuries AD.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Kris was Kris of Lyon, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. He was beheaded for his faith and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church.
Another notable figure was Kris the Hermit, a Byzantine monk who lived in the 6th century AD. He was known for his ascetic lifestyle and was considered a holy man by his contemporaries.
In the Middle Ages, the name Kris became more widespread across Europe. One famous bearer of the name was Kris the Dane, a Danish Viking who raided parts of England in the 9th century AD.
During the Renaissance period, the name Kris gained popularity among artists and intellectuals. One such individual was Kris Plantin, a renowned Flemish printer and publisher who lived from 1520 to 1589.
In more recent history, there have been several notable individuals named Kris. One example is Kris Kristofferson, an American singer, songwriter, and actor born in 1936. He is known for his contributions to country music and films such as "A Star Is Born."
Another famous Kris is Kris Bryant, an American professional baseball player born in 1992. He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2015 and has been an All-Star multiple times.
Kris Jenner, an American media personality and businesswoman born in 1955, is also well-known. She is the matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner family and has been instrumental in their rise to fame.
Overall, the name Kris has a rich history that spans centuries and cultures, from its Greek origins to its modern-day use around the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kris over time
The chart below shows babies named Kris registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kris, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 20 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kris by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kris 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3888 | 22 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2836 | 73 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1697 | 117 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1002 | 63 | 4 |
Geography
Where Kris is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kris. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Kris ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #415 in 2015.
Across the UK
Kris in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#592 in 2016
43 years of NRS records, 973 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#415 in 2015
6 years of NISRA records, 19 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kris
-
Kris Renton
association football player
Scottish footballer (born 1990)
1990-
-
Kris Thackray
association football player
English footballer (born 1988)
1988-
-
Kris Welham
rugby league player
English rugby league footballer
1987-
-
Kris Doolan
association football player
Scottish football manager (born 1986)
1986-
-
Kris Taylor
association football player
British footballer (born 1984)
1984-
-
Kris Commons
association football player
Scottish association football player (born 1983)
1983-
-
Kris Boyd
association football player
Scottish association football player (born 1983)
1983-
-
Kris Thomas
association football player
British association football player (born 1983)
1983-
Related
Names similar to Kris
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kris: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kris in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kris was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Kris most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 20 babies registered as Kris in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kris?
A Scandinavian modern name derived from the Greek word Khristos meaning "follower of Christ".
How many people are called Kris in the UK?
A total of 275 babies have been registered as Kris across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 973 more in Scotland and 19 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Kris most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kris ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #415 in 2015. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.