Meaning: Its source is Kristophoros, a Greek name meaning "Christ carrier."

Origin: "Kristophoros."

Nickname For: Christian and Christopher

Narrative: According to Christian legend, St. Christopher carried the child Jesus across a river on his shoulders. This legend may have evolved from the name itself.

Some authorities intepret its meaning as ''Christ within'' -- that is, carried within the heart of the believer.

Meaning: Its source is Aikaterine, a Greek name meaning "Pure."

Origin: "Aikaterine."

Nickname For: Katherine

Popularity: The name Kit ranked 3374th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: This meaning assumes the source name was derived from the Greek term katharos. However, it may have evolved from Hecate, the name of the Greek goddess of magic. Another possible source is katateinô, the Greek word for torture.

All three meanings might have been associated with St. Aikaterine (Katherine) of Alexandria, who was born a pagan but died as a Christian martyr.