What does christen mean?
To christen means to baptise a person into the Christian faith while formally giving them their name, a rite performed at a church font with family and godparents present. The word has broadened well beyond religion: ships are christened with a bottle of champagne smashed against their hull, new buildings and businesses are christened at opening ceremonies, and people informally speak of christening a new car, house, or kitchen by using them for the first time. The verb derives from Old English 'cristenian', built on 'Cristen' meaning Christian, making it over a thousand years old. Its connotations range from solemn and ceremonial in the baptismal sense to celebratory and slightly playful in figurative uses. It is a useful word because it captures both the act of naming and the sense of inaugurating something into active life, a double meaning few other verbs share.
verbTo give a person a name at a Christian baptism ceremony; more broadly, to name or dedicate something for the first time.
- To baptize someone into the Christian faith and formally bestow a name upon them
- To name or launch something for the first time, especially ships, buildings, or ventures (often figurative)
- (Informal) To use something for the first time, e.g. 'we christened the new kitchen with Sunday lunch'
"The couple had their daughter christened at the village church where they were married."
"Prince George was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in October 2013."
"They christened the new community centre with a grand opening celebration."
Every time you 'christen' a new boat, pub, or project, you're echoing a 1,000-year-old English ritual that once belonged exclusively to the church font.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of christen
'Christen' comes from Old English 'cristenian', formed from 'cristen' meaning 'Christian', which itself derives from Greek 'christos' (anointed one) via Latin 'christianus'. The verb originally meant specifically 'to make a Christian through baptism' and was in use well before the Norman Conquest. Over the centuries its scope widened from strictly religious baptism to any formal act of naming, giving us the modern secular uses for ships and ventures. Cognates such as 'Christian', 'Christmas', and 'Christendom' all descend from the same root.
Related word forms
How christen is actually used
'Christen' carries religious connotations in its primary sense but is entirely secular when used for naming ships, launching ventures, or first using an object. In British English it's common to say a child is 'christened after' a relative, meaning named in their honour. The figurative senses are informal to neutral in register.
Easily confused with christen
'Christian' (capitalized) refers to a follower of Jesus Christ or relating to Christianity, while 'christen' is a verb meaning to baptize and name someone.