Christel
Christel is a given name of German origin. Notable people with this given name include:Christel Augenstein, German politician Christel Bertens, Dutch bobsledder and athlete Christel Haeck, politician in Ontario, Canada Christel Happach-Kasan, German politician Christel Khalil, Emmy Award-nominated American actress Christel Kimbembe, Congolese football defender Christel Lau, German field hockey…
Meaning & Origin of Christel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Christel is a given name of German origin. Notable people with this given name include:Christel Augenstein, German politician Christel Bertens, Dutch bobsledder and athlete Christel Haeck, politician in Ontario, Canada Christel Happach-Kasan, German politician Christel Khalil, Emmy Award-nominated American actress Christel Kimbembe, Congolese football defender Christel Lau, German field hockey…
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Christel
The earliest SSA record of Christel as a baby girl name dates back to 1912, when 5 babies received it. 1978 was its biggest year on record, with 201 newborns named Christel — #767 in the national rankings. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 42% of all recorded Christels. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (12 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 4K Christels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Christel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Christel is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Christel
What does the name Christel mean?
How popular is Christel in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Christel most popular?
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About the name Christel
Christel is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Christel's peak popularity came in 1978 when it ranked #767. Use the chart and map above to compare Christel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1978 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.