Meaning & Story
Chris is a short form of Christopher, derived from the Ancient Greek Christophoros, meaning bearing Christ or Christ-bearer, from Christos meaning anointed one and phero meaning to carry or bear. As an independent given name, Chris has been popular across the English-speaking world since the mid-20th century. For pets, Chris is one of those wonderfully plain human names that becomes funnier and more endearing the more you think about it.
Chris is a wonderfully straightforward pet name that works entirely because of how unremarkable it is. There is something genuinely funny about having a cat or dog named Chris, as if he has a LinkedIn profile and a preferred brand of coffee. It suits a male companion with a calm, uncomplicated personality and a habit of just being there, reliably present, mildly judgmental, and completely essential to the household. The most normal name in the world, which is to say the most perfect pet name imaginable.