Christopher comes from the Greek Christophoros and means "bearing Christ" or "Christ-bearer". Legend tells of Saint Christopher carrying the Christ child across a river, which made him the patron saint of travelers, and Christopher Columbus carried the name across the Atlantic. Christopher was the fifth most popular boys' name in the United States in 2000 and had been in the top 10 since the late 1960s; it has gradually given way since and ranks number 68 in 2025.