Kirsten
Girl name · German · Greek · Latin · Scandinavian
Meaningfollower of Christ · Scandinavian form of Christine
- US rank
- #2,822
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #154 in 1991
60 babies were named Kirsten in the US in 2025. It has dropped 354 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1937–2025
US births per million boys, 1963–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Kirsten you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Kirsten
Kirsten Dunst
American actress (born 1982)
Choose Kirsten and your child shares a first name with Kirsten Dunst, an American actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Kirsten, like who?” Kirsten Dunst's Wikipedia article is available in 102 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Kirsten Dunst on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 26,810 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Kirsten, 60 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Kirsten would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryKirsten first shows up in US birth records in 1937, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 88 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1991, when it ranked #154. Today it's #2,822, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowKirsten was 19× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 1,427 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 26,810.
- TrendKirsten has slipped 354 places over the last five years and now sits at #2,822. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedKirsten is most popular in Pennsylvania, where it ranks #763. It's in the top 1,000 in 1 state.
- MeaningKirsten is a Scandinavian form of Christine, which means “follower of Christ”. Our records link it to German, Greek and Latin roots.
About the name Kirsten
Kirsten is a girl name of German, Greek and Latin origin meaning “follower of Christ”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with K and ending in “-ten”. US birth records list Kirsten for girls from 1937 to 2025, in 89 of those 89 years. Its best year was 1991, when it ranked #154 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #2,822, with 60 babies.
Origin:German namesGreek namesLatin namesScandinavian names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 12 | 81,744 girls |
| 1940s | 21 | 48,544 girls |
| 1950s | 41 | 24,242 girls |
| 1960s | 380 | 2,634 girls |
| 1970s | 534 | 1,874 girls |
| 1980s | 505 | 1,981 girls |
| 1990s | 937 | 1,067 girls |
| 2000s | 508 | 1,969 girls |
| 2010s | 103 | 9,729 girls |
| 2020s | 35 | 28,902 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.9 | 538,462 boys |
| 1970s | 4.4 | 228,311 boys |
| 1980s | 3.5 | 281,690 boys |
| 1990s | 1.9 | 534,759 boys |
| 2000s | 1.2 | 833,333 boys |
More German girl names
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Girl name: Emma · whole, universal
- Girl name: Amelia · work, industrious
- Girl name: Evelyn · possibly desired
- Girl name: Ellie · possibly light
- Unisex name: Avery · elf counsel
- Girl name: Emilia · rival, striving
- Girl name: Eloise · possibly healthy, wide
Questions about the name Kirsten
What does the name Kirsten mean?
Kirsten means “follower of Christ” in Scandinavian, as a form of Christine.
What is the origin of the name Kirsten?
Kirsten has German, Greek, Latin, Scandinavian roots in our records. Other German names include Charlotte, Emma, Amelia.
Is Kirsten a boy or girl name?
Kirsten is a girl name.
How popular is the name Kirsten?
Kirsten ranked #2,822 for US girls in 2025, given to 60 babies. Its best year was 1991 (#154).