How popular is the baby name Christine in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Christine.

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Popularity of the baby name Christine


Posts that mention the name Christine

Baby girl gets 49 names: Princess India Rosa…

This baby didn’t get 139 names, but 49 is still excessive, don’t you think?

Diana and Arthur Martello of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, had a baby girl in May of 1989 and gave her 49 names. (Initially it was just 43, but they added 6 more a few weeks later.)

Here are all 49 names:

Princess India Rosa Kathleen Pearla Meshelle Suzanne Luchianna Irena Iris Veronica Donna Holly Robin Concha Kristian Tonya Elizabeth Joana Magali Lavinia Ruth Sandy Lori Appolonia Concepteone Stephenie Victoria Ira Maria Jane Claudia Pamela Shirley Mellissa Leah Rebecca Simone Alana Loren Joy Angie Pheonix Cynthia Christine Eleanor Meg Sophia Eunice

Diana was the one who came up with them. She said her inspiration included TV shows like Matt Houston, T.J. Hooker, Santa Barbara, and The Young and the Restless.

If you could go back in time and rename this baby girl, which two names (out of the 49) would you choose as her first and middle names?

Sources:

  • Musala, Jane C. “A Nickname Makes it 45.” Allegheny Times 30 May 1989: A3.
  • Musala, Jane C. “The Good News is Short-Lived.” Allegheny Times 28 Jun. 1989: A3.

Where did the baby name Caillou come from in 2001?

Caillou from the cartoon "Caillou" (1997-2010)
Caillou

The curious name Caillou first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 2001 with an impressive 35 baby boys, making it the second-highest boy-name debut of the year (after Jahiem).

  • 2003: 24 baby boys named Caillou
  • 2002: 23 baby boys named Caillou
  • 2001: 35 baby boys named Caillou [debut]
  • 2000: unlisted
  • 1999: unlisted

The variant spelling Kaillou also debuted in 2001.

Where did these names come from?

The Canadian cartoon Caillou, which premiered in Canada in the late ’90s, but didn’t start airing in the U.S. until the year 2000.

The show’s main character was a 4-year-old boy named — what else? — Caillou (pronounced KYE-yoo).

The animated program was based on a series of children’s books by author Christine L’Heureux, who said the books were “inspired by the work of French psychoanalyst Dr. Françoise Dolto (1908-1988).”

So where does the word caillou come from?

The word “caillou” in French means pebble, which was used in a ritual created by Dr. Françoise Dolto. Reflecting her philosophy of respect for the child as a person, she asked children to give her pebbles as a symbolic payment for her consultations.

P.S. Another cartoon-inspired baby name with a pebble-association? Pebbles. :)

Sources: Your Questions – Chouette Publishing, SSA

Baby name story: Linden

linden tree flowers
Linden tree in bloom

In mid-2005, San Francisco physician Christine Angeles wrote a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle. Her letter featured not one by two baby name stories:

When I started working [at the South San Francisco Kaiser Medical Center] in 1980, the assistant manager of the medical department was named Linden. We became friends and she told me the story behind her name went back to post-World War II Berlin. Her mother saw the linden trees in bloom in the spring on Unterdenlindenstrasse. They were so beautiful, she said if she ever had a daughter she would name her Linden. This Linden was born in the early 1950s.

Enchanted by this story, I decided if I ever had a daughter, I would name her Linden. My Linden was born in 1987.

The usage of Linden for baby girls was quite low in both the 1950s and the 1980s. These days it’s a bit higher, but still nowhere near the girls’ top 1,000.

Source: “Letters to Business.” San Francisco Chronicle 7 Aug. 2005.

Image: Adapted from Linden flowers by Famartin under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Baby girl gets 139 names: Tracy Mariclaire Lisa…

John and Margaret Nelson of Chesterfield, England, welcomed a baby girl at the very end of 1985. They named their daughter Tracy, but that’s not all they named her. This is Tracy’s full name:

Tracy Mariclaire Lisa Tammy Samantha Christine Alexandra Candy Bonnie Ursala Zoe Nichola Patricia Lynda Kate Jean Sandra Karren Julie Jane Elizabeth Felicity Gabriella Jackie Corina Constance Arabella Clara Honor Geraldine Fiona Erika Fillippa Anabel Elsie Amanda Cheryl Alanna Louisa Angie Beth Crystal Dawn Debbie Eileen Grace Susan Rebecca Valerie Kay Lena Margaret Anna Amy Carol Bella Avril Ava Audry Andrea Daphne Donna Cynthia Cassie Christabel Vivien Wendy Moira Jennifer Abbie Adelaide Carrissa Carla Anne Astrid Barbara Charissa Catalina Bonny Dee Hazel Iris Anthea Clarinda Bernadette Cara Alison Carrie Angela Beryl Caroline Emma Dana Vanessa Zara Violet Lynn Maggie Pamela Rosemary Ruth Cathlene Alexandrina Annette Hilary Diana Angelina Carrinna Victoria Sara Mandy Annabella Beverly Bridget Cecilia Catherine Brenda Jessica Isbella Delilah Camila Candace Helen Connie Charmaine Dorothy Melinda Nancy Mariam Vicki Selina Miriam Norma Pauline Toni Penny Shari Zsa-zsa Queenie Nelson

That’s 139 given names and 1 surname.

Why did John and Margaret do this to their daughter? According to John, “We just wanted to give her something for when she grows up.”

A reason that makes complete sense, of course.

Speaking of things that make sense, let’s pick out some of the needless repetition:

  • Alexandra (#7) and Alexandrina (#103)
  • Amanda (#36) and Mandy (#111)
  • Angela (#89), Angie (#40) and Angelina (#107)
  • Anna (#33), Anne (#74) and Annette (#104)
  • Bella (#56), Annabella (#112), Arabella (#27) and Isbella (#119)
  • Bonnie (#9) and Bonny (#79)
  • Candace (#122) and Candy (#8)
  • Carrissa (#72) and Charissa (#77)
  • Clara (#28) and Clarinda (#84)
  • Constance (#26) and Connie (#124)
  • Corina (#25) and Carrinna (#108)
  • Elizabeth (#21) and Beth (#41)
  • Margaret (#52) and Maggie (#98)
  • Mariam (#129) and Miriam (#131)
  • Victoria (#109) and Vicki (#130)
  • Zara (#95) and Sara (#110)

If you could go back in time and rename this baby, which two names (out of the 139) would you choose as her first and middle names?

Source: “Tracy for short.” Reading Eagle 24 Jan 1986: 1.