Christopher is of Greek origin, meaning "bearer of Christ." It was introduced to England by the Normans during their invasion in the 11th century. Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer who reached the Americas in 1492, was named after this saint and made the name more popular in Europe. Throughout history, notable individuals with this name include Christopher Marlowe, an Elizabethan playwright, and Christopher Wren, a prominent English architect known for rebuilding many of London's churches after the Great Fire of 1666. In literature, Charles Dickens used the name for his character, Christopher Pocket, in "Nicholas Nickleby.
The name Christopher experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a notable spike between 1970 and 1985. The peak occurred in 1985 with 44 births, while the lowest point was in 1958 with just 6 births. After 1993, the name's usage declined steadily, reaching its modern low of 5-6 births per year starting from 2000 and lasting until 2015. Overall, Christopher has been given to 757 babies in total since 1958.