christen
Americanverb (used with object)
-
christens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
christened,
past participle, past
-
christening
present participle
-
to receive into the Christian church by baptism; baptize.
-
to give a name to at baptism.
They christened her Mary.
-
to name and dedicate.
to christen a ship.
-
to make use of for the first time.
verb
-
to give a Christian name to in baptism as a sign of incorporation into a Christian Church
-
another word for baptize
-
to give a name to (anything), esp with some ceremony
-
informal to use for the first time
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
christensimple
-
christenssimple
-
have christenedperfect
-
has christenedperfect
-
am christeningprogressive
-
are christeningprogressive
-
is christeningprogressive
-
have been christeningperfect progressive
-
has been christeningperfect progressive
Past
-
christenedsimple
-
had christenedperfect
-
was christeningprogressive
-
were christeningprogressive
-
had been christeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of christen
before 900; Middle English cristenen, Old English cristnian, derivative of cristen Christian
Explanation
To christen a person is to name them, especially in a church baptism ceremony. Your parents may have christened you after a great-grandparent, giving you the same first name. Even if you were christened "Tom Smith" at birth, your friends might give you a nickname, christening you "Pickles" and referring to you that way for the rest of your life. Objects can be christened too: "I hereby christen this car Scooby Doo the Subaru!" When it happens as part of a religious ceremony, being christened means being officially admitted to a Christian church — and the word's Old English root literally means "make Christian."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
To his exacting teen and preteen audience, “the Danish person,” as they disobligingly christen him, looks like the houseguest from hell.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
There is no reason to christen your freshly cleaned kitchen with a sink full of dishes.
From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2026
The Principality has rarely been the place for England to experiment or christen new talent.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2025
These commitments are important, as they give Kennedy something to wad up and christen his wastebasket with when he steps into his new office.
From Slate ● Feb. 8, 2025
On the first Sunday in September, we had the Whitlaws down to help us christen Dragonwings.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
Camus’ The Plague is set in Oran, and with this connection in mind he christens his new series of unflinching depictions of massacre.
From Slate ● Jun. 6, 2025
At the end of the season Carmy, Sydney and Marcus reclaim the cannoli with a savory creation Marcus christens The Michael.
From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2023
David Zwirner christens its L.A. space with an exhibition from Njideka Akunyili Crosby, featuring new and recent works in the artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2023
The play, mounted on Luciana Stecconi’s sleek set in the Atlas Performing Arts Center’s Sprenger Theatre, christens the leadership era of Mosaic Theater Company’s new artistic director, Reginald L. Douglas.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 30, 2022
Certainly his Exercises—as he meekly christens them—are multum in parvo.
From Old Fogy His Musical Opinions and Grotesques by James Huneker
In each of the last two springs, the Theodore Payne Foundation’s annual native garden tour has featured the home Novack and Aggrey have christened Chateau Chaparral.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
While it is still being rented out regularly to tenants, 7 ½ West End Court has now been christened “The Born to Run House” by Springsteen’s fans.
From Salon ● Mar. 4, 2026
No wonder then, that he was christened 'The Beckham of the Baize'.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2026
Leftover pizza gets cut up, crisped on the stove and mixed into scrambled eggs—a remnant from Duggal’s college days that she has christened “pizza eggs.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
Convinced that an untapped market of dreamers existed with ample cash but insufficient experience to climb the world’s great mountains on their own, Hall and Ball launched an enterprise they christened Adventure Consultants.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
They enact for their confused rescuer the story of the forgotten fairy at the christening, the curse and the spindle—and then go back to sleep.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
Known for her iconic one liners, Doris is well quoted by fans of the series - particularly when she refused to make the salad for Neil the Baby's christening.
From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2025
Then came her indie darling christening, courtesy of Emma Seligman’s “Shiva Baby” in 2020, when she moved to Los Angeles, followed by breakout roles in 2022’s “Bodies Bodies Bodies” and 2023’s “Bottoms.”
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2025
Bitcoin had risen nine out of the previous 11 Octobers before this year, according to Dow Jones Market Data, leading to some bulls christening the month “Uptober.”
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025
But all the same, christening me secretly with my fathers name.
From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
