Kirsten

Kirsten is a Danish and Norwegian form of Christina, a name meaning a Christian or follower of Christ. The older religious vocabulary passed through Greek and Latin before developing into the many European forms familiar today. Kirsten therefore has a clear place within an established name family, even though its letters look quite different from Christina.

Its opening places the r before the s, distinguishing it on the page from Kristen. That is a spelling difference within related naming traditions, not evidence that one form is an error. English pronunciations vary, and the Danish and Norwegian sounds differ again. A family's own pronunciation is worth preserving when Kirsten is chosen to honor an existing relative.