Christabel is a unique and beautiful feminine given name of Cornish origin. It means "follower of Christ" in the Cornish language, derived from the elements "Krist" meaning "Christ" and "-fel" meaning "follower". The name is also associated with the legendary figure of Saint Justa, who was said to have brought Christianity to Cornwall.
The name Christabel gained prominence during the Middle Ages, particularly in Cornwall and other parts of Britain. It was often used as a feminine form of the male name Christopher, which means "bearer of Christ". However, over time, Christabel has evolved into a distinct and independent name in its own right.
One notable appearance of the name Christabel is in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's gothic poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (1798). In this work, Christabel is the daughter of Sir Leoline, an ancient mariner who tells the tale of his supernatural experience. This literary reference has contributed to the enduring popularity and recognition of the name Christabel.
Today, Christabel remains a rare and distinctive given name, often chosen by parents seeking a unique and meaningful name for their daughters. It is a name that carries a rich history and cultural significance, reflecting its Cornish origins and early Christian influences.
The name Christobel experienced a brief surge in popularity during the early 20th century in the United States, with a notable increase between 1914 and 1916. During this period, there were ten births recorded in 1914, followed by seven births in 1916. Although these numbers are not exceptionally high compared to other names of that era, they do indicate that Christobel was being chosen as a baby girl's name with some frequency during this time.
However, the popularity of the name Christobel declined sharply after 1916, with only five births recorded in both 1918 and 1919. This suggests that by the end of the decade, the name had fallen out of favor once again.
In total, there were 37 recorded births for the name Christobel in the United States between the years 1910 and 1919. While this number is not high enough to place Christobel among the most popular baby girl names of the time, it does indicate that a small but steady number of parents chose this unique name for their daughters during this period.
Overall, these statistics provide insight into the historical usage of the name Christobel in the United States and demonstrate how naming trends can fluctuate over time. Despite its relatively low overall popularity, Christobel was clearly seen as an appealing choice by some parents during the early 1910s.