Total births
20,814
Unisex name · since 1942
Kristian
20,814 babies named Kristian in U.S. Social Security records since 1942, with the highest year being 1997. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1123
- among boys today
- 20,814
- born since 1942
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
20,814 babies have been named Kristian since 1942, making it today's #1123 unisex name.
Kristian has 20,814 recorded births among boys since 1942, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1123 as of the latest data, more common than 92% of boys, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1942 to 2025.
- #1123 among boys today
- 20,814 born since 1942
- 2000s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kristian is currently the #1123 unisex name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 20,814 born since 1942, peaking in the 2000s.
- #1123
- among boys today
- 20,814
- born since 1942
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Kristian vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1123
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Kristian was born in this single decade.
1997
Single peak year
614 babies were named Kristian in 1997 - its busiest year on record.
How Kristian compares
20,814 Top 6% higher than 94% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kristian's all-time total is 57x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kristian | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 20,814 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 614 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kristian's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kristian's SSA record in two at 1986 and the more recent half accounts for 81% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 19%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1942, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1997 peak of 614, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kristian at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1997
Current rank
#1,123
Active since
1942
Kristian popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1942–2025
- Peak year (1997)
- 614
- Annual births at peak, across 84 years of records
Kristian popularity over time - girls
6,820 total births recorded since 1959 (Kristian as girls' name)
Kristian by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Kristian's strongest decade.
5,596 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Kristian births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 24
1940s
24 births
- 1950s 141
1950s
141 births
- 1960s 555
1960s
555 births
- 1970s
1970s
2,363 births
- 1980s 1,717
1980s
1,717 births
- 1990s
1990s
5,194 births
- 2000s
2000s
5,596 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,867 births
- 2020s 1,357
2020s
1,357 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 5,596 births (27% of all-time use).
How Kristian compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Kristian's total volume
Kristian vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kristian by state
Where Kristian concentrates geographically, total births since 1942
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 2,677 | 12.9% |
| #2 | Texas | | 2,070 | 9.9% |
| #3 | New York | | 1,736 | 8.3% |
| #4 | Florida | | 1,402 | 6.7% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 937 | 4.5% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 717 | 3.4% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 665 | 3.2% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 651 | 3.1% |
California share of Kristian's total US births 12.9%
Even split
2,677 of 20,814 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 43 reporting states.
Kristian appears in 43 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kristian? ▼
Kristian has been given to 20,814 babies in the U.S. since 1942, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1123 as of the latest data. 614 babies were born in 1997, its single highest year.
When was Kristian most popular? ▼
Kristian was most popular in the 2000s decade with 5,596 total births. The single peak year was 1997.
Where is Kristian most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kristian are California (2,677 births), Texas (2,070 births), New York (1,736 births).
Is Kristian a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kristian is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 20,814 births, and as a girl's name it has 6,820 births.
How long has the name Kristian been used? ▼
Records for Kristian go back to 1942, giving 84 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kristian? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kristopher, Kris, Kristofer, Krish, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kristian's data
- Kristian's decade-level peak was the 2000s (5,596 total births); usage has since declined to 1,357 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kristians (2,677 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kristian
Nearby Names Like Kristian
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kristian
Kristopher Boy
#1166 63,251 births
Kris Boy
#3546 14,400 births
Kristofer Boy
#3464 9,791 births
Krish Boy
#1354 4,811 births
Kristoffer Boy
#7882 3,940 births
Compare Kristian side by side: Kristian vs Kristopher Kristian vs Kris Kristian vs Kristofer
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kristian
Aurelius #1122
1,764 births · Peak 2025
Coen #1124
4,506 births · Peak 2016
Jakob #1121
31,959 births · Peak 2001
Kalel #1125
4,400 births · Peak 2014
Dion #1120
18,914 births · Peak 1970
Cullen #1126
16,591 births · Peak 2010
Blaine #1119
33,071 births · Peak 2001
Zephyr #1127
2,528 births · Peak 2022
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1942–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kristian: #1123 Unisex Name - 20,814 Births, Peak 1997." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kristian. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Kristian draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.