Christos is a common Greek given name, which may be spelled as Christos, Chrestos, Chreistos, Christus, Chrestus, and Chreistus, pronounced identically (cf. iotacism). Nicknames include Chris, Chrissie, Chrissy, Chreissie, Chreissy, Chreis, Essie, Eissie, Tos, Tossie, and Issie
The Greek name çÃÂïÃÂÃÂÿàis derived from the earlier word ÃÂÃÂùÃÂÃÂÃÂà(note the difference in accentuation), meaning "anointed" and which became the Christian theological term for the Messiah.
The spelling of the Greek name çÃÂîÃÂÃÂÿàsuggests a derivation from the word ÃÂÃÂ÷ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ, which in earlier forms of the language principally meant "useful", and in modern Greek means "ethical, righteous, good, just, upright, virtuous".
Transposing the accent to the first syllable distinguishes çÃÂïÃÂÃÂÿà(Christos), the common name, from çÃÂùÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ, Jesus Christ. Similarly, the given name Stavros (ãÃÂñÃÂÃÂÿÃÂ, Stávros) has the stress on the first syllable, differentiating it from ÃÂÃÂñàÃÂÃÂà(stavrós), the Christian cross.
Constantine P. Cavafy gave two reasons for the transposition of the accent in the name "Christos": firstly, the rule of transposition of the accent from the final syllable to the immediately preceding syllable in ancient adjectives when they become proper nouns, "and secondly, the pious practice of differentiating in appearance from the divine epithet". Cavafy gave other anthropological examples of the need felt to distinguish between the "sacred" and the "profane", and university professor Giorgos Veloudis added tÿ Cavafy's examples the distinction between the "profane" word ãÃÂñÃÂÃÂÿà(the name "Stavros") and the "sacred" word ÃÂÃÂñàÃÂÃÂà("cross").
Veloudis also mentioned the reverse process whereby Christians have treated as "profane" the names of pre-Christian divinities such as Hermes, Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, names used today by Greek-speakers.