Where does “christian name” come from?
christian name (English) comes from English christian, from Middle English Cristien, from Old French chrestien, from Latin Christiānus, from Latin Chrīstus, from Ancient Greek Χριστός, from Ancient Greek χρίω, from Proto-Indo-European gʰrēy- — to rub; to stroke; to grind.
christian name (English): A first name formally given to a child at a Christian baptism
Definitions
- A first name formally given to a child at a Christian baptism
Ancestry of “christian name”, step by step
christian name traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English christian
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | christian | A believer in Christianity |
| 2 | Middle English | Cristien | Christian; of those who believe in Christ;... |
| 3 | Old French | chrestien | Christian |
| 4 | Latin | Christiānus | Christian |
| 5 | Latin | Chrīstus | — |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Χριστός | anointed; messiah; annointed, the annointed one,... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | χρίω | to rub or smear (especially the body) with oil or unguents; to anoint |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrēy- | to smear; to paint, streak, smear |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰer- | to rub; to stroke; to grind |