Christie is a diminutive of Christine/Christina — ultimately from Christ, meaning "anointed one" — and a surname associated most famously with Agatha Christie, the world's best-selling mystery author. At 29 registry records with a female preference, Christie sits between the Agatha Christie literary reference and the simple affectionate nickname aesthetic.
The Christie Name Register
Christie peaked as an American human name in the 1960s-1970s — the era of Christie Brinkley and Christie McNichol, making it a retro-revival choice in the same category as Debbie, Connie, and Kelli. Owners choosing Christie for a pet are either working from that generational warmth or reaching toward the literary legend. The human name Christie has SSA records but has been declining for decades.
The Agatha Christie Angle
For owners who name their pets Agatha after the mystery writer, Christie offers the surname option — a sleeker, more casual entry point to the same reference. A cat named Christie watches everything with the same knowing patience the author brought to her detective plots. British shorthairs suit this literary-English aesthetic.
The Counter-Reading: The Nickname Question
Christie is already a nickname: it's the diminutive of Christine. Using a diminutive as the primary registered name means the formal version is elsewhere. This is fine for a pet but creates occasional confusion about what the "real" name is. Browse classic feminine options at pet names.