Fun Facts About the Name Kris
- More than 27 thousand babies named Kris: U.S. records list 27,970 babies given the name Kris from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 13,571 girls received the name Kris.
What Does the Name Kris Mean?
Kris is a short form of names built on the Greek word Christos, "anointed one," which the New Testament uses as a title for Jesus and which translates the Hebrew mashiach, or Messiah. As a masculine name, Kris usually shortens Christopher, from Greek Christophoros, "bearing Christ." As a feminine name, it usually shortens Christina, Christine, or Kristin, which come from Latin Christiana, "a Christian," meaning a follower of Christ. The K spelling reflects the practice in Dutch, German, and Scandinavian writing of rendering Greek chi with k, as in Kristoffer and Kristina; it is a spelling variant, not a separate origin.
Kris Name History & Origins
The names behind Kris entered Europe through Greek and Latin Christianity. Christophoros passed into Latin as Christophorus and became Christopher in English; devotion to Saint Christopher, traditionally the patron of travelers, helped spread the name across medieval Europe. Christianus and its feminine Christiana produced a large family of names, including Christina, Christine, Christian, and their regional forms. Short forms were common in everyday speech long before they were written down formally.
In the Low Countries and Scandinavia, where the K spelling was standard, the shortened form was written Kris. Dutch and German speakers used Kris for Kristof, Kristoffel, and Kristiaan. In Denmark, Kris also serves as a short form of the masculine Kristian, and in Sweden it is recorded as a woman's given name, shortened from Kristina or Kristin.
English speakers inherited Christopher and Christina with the Ch- spelling, and Chris became the usual short form. The K- variant Kris became a familiar alternative in English during the 20th century and was given to both boys and girls. The American country songwriter and singer Kris Kristofferson is a widely known bearer of the spelling.
How Popular is the Name Kris?
Kris recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1965. Its best rank was #277 in 1965.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,463 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #11,636 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #10,763 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #16,600 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #9,967 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #8,208 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2019 | #8,861 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #7,978 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #7,660 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #7,444 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2015 | #5,582 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2014 | #7,165 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2013 | #6,603 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2012 | #10,100 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #8,008 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #7,735 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2009 | #8,260 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #9,272 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #10,510 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #11,059 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #9,185 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #6,645 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2003 | #8,807 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #6,887 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2001 | #14,500 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #12,523 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #7,990 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #7,345 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1997 | #4,596 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1996 | #4,819 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1995 | #4,615 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1994 | #6,504 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1993 | #4,173 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1992 | #4,025 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1991 | #3,583 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1990 | #3,576 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1989 | #3,615 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1988 | #3,352 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1987 | #2,880 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1986 | #3,598 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1985 | #2,622 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1984 | #2,647 | 35 | 0.0021% |
| 1983 | #1,977 | 52 | 0.0031% |
| 1982 | #1,886 | 57 | 0.0034% |
| 1981 | #1,652 | 70 | 0.0042% |
| 1980 | #1,324 | 96 | 0.0058% |
| 1979 | #1,247 | 103 | 0.0064% |
| 1978 | #1,043 | 131 | 0.0086% |
| 1977 | #1,151 | 110 | 0.0072% |
| 1976 | #1,100 | 110 | 0.0075% |
| 1975 | #922 | 141 | 0.0097% |
| 1974 | #809 | 167 | 0.0114% |
| 1973 | #692 | 215 | 0.0147% |
| 1972 | #587 | 273 | 0.0179% |
| 1971 | #556 | 322 | 0.0194% |
| 1970 | #470 | 437 | 0.0250% |
| 1969 | #415 | 529 | 0.0314% |
| 1968 | #371 | 598 | 0.0365% |
| 1967 | #326 | 724 | 0.0439% |
| 1966 | #289 | 870 | 0.0514% |
| 1965 | #277 | 978 | 0.0554% |
| 1964 | #302 | 940 | 0.0496% |
| 1963 | #350 | 734 | 0.0381% |
| 1962 | #389 | 590 | 0.0300% |
| 1961 | #388 | 619 | 0.0307% |
| 1960 | #398 | 576 | 0.0285% |
| 1959 | #390 | 590 | 0.0292% |
| 1958 | #385 | 568 | 0.0282% |
| 1957 | #462 | 419 | 0.0205% |
| 1956 | #539 | 302 | 0.0150% |
| 1955 | #567 | 260 | 0.0133% |
| 1954 | #684 | 187 | 0.0096% |
| 1953 | #723 | 158 | 0.0084% |
| 1952 | #718 | 154 | 0.0083% |
| 1951 | #716 | 149 | 0.0083% |
| 1950 | #871 | 104 | 0.0061% |
| 1949 | #915 | 94 | 0.0055% |
| 1948 | #803 | 116 | 0.0068% |
| 1947 | #876 | 101 | 0.0057% |
| 1946 | #1,020 | 69 | 0.0044% |
| 1945 | #1,180 | 45 | 0.0034% |
| 1944 | #1,417 | 33 | 0.0025% |
| 1943 | #2,307 | 16 | 0.0011% |
| 1942 | #2,602 | 13 | 0.0010% |
| 1941 | #3,401 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #3,362 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,218 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2024 | #3,556 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 2023 | #3,947 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2022 | #3,442 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 2021 | #2,340 | 59 | 0.0034% |
| 2020 | #2,156 | 65 | 0.0038% |
| 2019 | #1,835 | 83 | 0.0046% |
| 2018 | #2,008 | 73 | 0.0040% |
| 2017 | #1,947 | 74 | 0.0040% |
| 2016 | #2,320 | 57 | 0.0030% |
| 2015 | #2,287 | 58 | 0.0030% |
| 2014 | #2,170 | 63 | 0.0033% |
| 2013 | #2,191 | 60 | 0.0032% |
| 2012 | #1,976 | 72 | 0.0038% |
| 2011 | #2,330 | 55 | 0.0029% |
| 2010 | #2,493 | 50 | 0.0026% |
| 2009 | #1,587 | 102 | 0.0051% |
| 2008 | #1,835 | 80 | 0.0039% |
| 2007 | #1,787 | 82 | 0.0040% |
| 2006 | #1,652 | 87 | 0.0042% |
| 2005 | #1,796 | 73 | 0.0037% |
| 2004 | #1,945 | 63 | 0.0032% |
| 2003 | #1,973 | 59 | 0.0030% |
| 2002 | #1,656 | 72 | 0.0037% |
| 2001 | #1,608 | 74 | 0.0038% |
| 2000 | #1,887 | 56 | 0.0029% |
| 1999 | #1,812 | 55 | 0.0029% |
| 1998 | #1,656 | 63 | 0.0033% |
| 1997 | #1,665 | 60 | 0.0032% |
| 1996 | #1,545 | 65 | 0.0034% |
| 1995 | #1,484 | 65 | 0.0034% |
| 1994 | #1,446 | 67 | 0.0035% |
| 1993 | #1,439 | 66 | 0.0034% |
| 1992 | #1,215 | 86 | 0.0043% |
| 1991 | #1,460 | 61 | 0.0030% |
| 1990 | #1,246 | 79 | 0.0038% |
| 1989 | #1,274 | 73 | 0.0036% |
| 1988 | #1,036 | 91 | 0.0048% |
| 1987 | #945 | 100 | 0.0054% |
| 1986 | #957 | 92 | 0.0050% |
| 1985 | #921 | 98 | 0.0053% |
| 1984 | #793 | 121 | 0.0067% |
| 1983 | #831 | 111 | 0.0062% |
| 1982 | #790 | 125 | 0.0069% |
| 1981 | #686 | 159 | 0.0089% |
| 1980 | #591 | 214 | 0.0120% |
| 1979 | #476 | 299 | 0.0174% |
| 1978 | #397 | 380 | 0.0231% |
| 1977 | #395 | 398 | 0.0242% |
| 1976 | #453 | 298 | 0.0190% |
| 1975 | #439 | 323 | 0.0207% |
| 1974 | #379 | 416 | 0.0265% |
| 1973 | #416 | 356 | 0.0228% |
| 1972 | #395 | 399 | 0.0246% |
| 1971 | #405 | 397 | 0.0224% |
| 1970 | #392 | 415 | 0.0223% |
| 1969 | #415 | 365 | 0.0204% |
| 1968 | #458 | 282 | 0.0162% |
| 1967 | #426 | 319 | 0.0183% |
| 1966 | #397 | 357 | 0.0200% |
| 1965 | #384 | 409 | 0.0220% |
| 1964 | #380 | 433 | 0.0217% |
| 1963 | #344 | 504 | 0.0248% |
| 1962 | #347 | 513 | 0.0248% |
| 1961 | #355 | 503 | 0.0237% |
| 1960 | #364 | 467 | 0.0219% |
| 1959 | #361 | 468 | 0.0219% |
| 1958 | #371 | 438 | 0.0206% |
| 1957 | #410 | 358 | 0.0166% |
| 1956 | #464 | 267 | 0.0126% |
| 1955 | #474 | 239 | 0.0116% |
| 1954 | #508 | 204 | 0.0100% |
| 1953 | #502 | 193 | 0.0098% |
| 1952 | #472 | 216 | 0.0111% |
| 1951 | #574 | 145 | 0.0077% |
| 1950 | #675 | 106 | 0.0059% |
| 1949 | #666 | 107 | 0.0060% |
| 1948 | #690 | 94 | 0.0054% |
| 1947 | #902 | 60 | 0.0033% |
| 1946 | #917 | 53 | 0.0033% |
| 1945 | #1,314 | 26 | 0.0019% |
| 1944 | #1,117 | 36 | 0.0026% |
| 1943 | #1,671 | 19 | 0.0013% |
| 1942 | #2,823 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1941 | #2,414 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1940 | #2,584 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1939 | #3,298 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,802 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
