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At a Glance: Name: Chip – Meaning: a pet form of Christopher or Charles; also a nickname for a son who shares his father's name (as in 'a chip off the old block') – Origin: English (diminutive) – Gender: primarily used for boys – Pronunciation: CHIP
Chip is an English diminutive with two separate roots: it's used as a pet form of Christopher, and just as often as a pet form of Charles. It also has a second, unrelated use as a nickname for a son who shares his father's name — the "chip off the old block" sense. If you've only heard it tied to Christopher, that's just part of the picture.
Meaning & Origin of Chip
Meaning: A pet form of Christopher or Charles; also a nickname for a son who shares his father's name (as in 'a chip off the old block').
Origin: English (diminutive).
A common claim: Chip is often said to be simply short for Christopher Actually: It's equally used as a pet form of Charles, and separately as a nickname for a son who shares his father's name, not just a Christopher diminutive.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Chip
Phonetic: CHIP IPA: /ʧɪp/
Popularity of Chip
Chip peaked at #593 in 1962, when 171 baby boys got the name. By 2024 it had fallen to #3272, with just 36 boys given the name that year.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1942–2024.
Make Chip Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Chip, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Chip mean?
A pet form of Christopher or Charles; also a nickname for a son who shares his father’s name (as in ‘a chip off the old block’). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Chip)
How do you pronounce Chip?
Chip is pronounced CHIP (IPA: /ʧɪp/).
Is Chip a popular name right now?
Chip peaked at #593 in 1962 and is ranked #3272 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1942–2024.)
📊 How popular is Chip? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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