Names That Mean Christian

Christina, a pretty and feminine, crystal clear classic, may be trending downward, but it's never out of style. Christina's short forms Chris, Christie, and Tina all seem dated—making the royal Christina best used in its full glory.

Christine was the dominant feminine variation of Christopher forty or fifty years ago, when French E-endings were preferred over As; it was a Top 20 name for several years, from 1966 to 1974. But though it still hangs in on the popularity list, today most any other version would be considered more stylish, from Kristen to Kirsten to Christina herself.

Kristen may be somewhat past its fashion high point, but it remains forever crystalline clear. Possible problem: confusion with the similar Scandinavian names Kristin, Kirsten, Kirstie, et al.

This streamlined form of a pretty and feminine classic may not be as popular as it once was, but it's never out of style. A royal name best used now in its full glory rather than as nicknames Kris or Kristy.

A short form that covers multiple names including Cristian, Cristóbal, and Crispin.

A crystalline name that retains its loveliness far past its prime. Its biggest downside: Eternal confusion over spelling and pronunciation. Kristen? Kirsten? It can be so confusing that many parents today opt to bypass it.

Kristy (and Kristi and Kristie) are the ultimate kool girl nicknames of the sixties and seventies, not kwite as kute any more.

Though Isabel is a smash hit, Christabel still hasn't been fully embraced. It was originally popularized in England via the Coleridge poem Christabel ("whom her father loves so well") and was given to the poet's granddaughter. Christabel Pankhurst was a famous U.K. suffragist.

Chris is one of the longest-running and still most appealing unisex short forms, still used nearly equally for boys and girls. Though no longer fashionable, Chris still feels crisp and appropriate for both sexes.

The Steen, Steena, and Stina nicknames for Christina are much more common in Scandinavia than in the English-speaking world, which prefers the Chris variations.

One of the new-wave Christian word names that has appeared occasionally on the charts since the 2010s.

Unisex nickname that feels fresher than Chris.

The Cornish version of Christine (and Kristen, and the rest of that name family) has a modern, unisex sound. Some may find it too close to the word "chest" for comfort.

Christina who decided, at the last minute, she'd rather be Kristen.

One of the coolest girls in the class of '73, still cute but not quite as youthful.

Icelandic form of Christine or Christina, a popular classic in Iceland.

The Czech name Kristýna arose from the Scandinavian Kristina — a classic name in more than a dozen European cultures.

Christy was one of the coolest girls in the class of '73, still cute but not quite as youthful.

In the heyday of Chris- names, the Kirsten variation was always more common than Kirstina, and that's still the case today.

That extra I may prove both intriguing and bedeviling.