Hristo

Hristo is a masculine given name of Bulgarian origin. It is the Bulgarian form of the Greek name Christos, which derives from the word meaning Christ. In Bulgarian usage, Hristo has long been used as an independent given name rather than solely as a nickname, and it carries traditional Christian associations tied to Bulgarian history and culture.

The name is commonly used in Bulgaria and among Bulgarian communities abroad. It is typically written in Cyrillic as Христо and transliterated as Hristo in Latin script, pronounced roughly with the emphasis on the first syllable. The form reflects the broader Balkan and Christian naming traditions that adapt Greek and Slavic elements into local practice.

Notable people named Hristo include Hristo Botev (1848–1876), a Bulgarian revolutionary, poet, and national hero of the April Uprising; and Hristo Stoichkov (born 1966), a prominent Bulgarian footballer who won the Ballon d'Or in 1994 and played for clubs such as Barcelona. These figures illustrate the name’s long-standing presence in Bulgarian public life across different eras.

Overall, Hristo remains a common and recognizable Bulgarian given name, associated with historical and contemporary figures, and it continues to be used within Bulgaria and by Bulgarian communities around the world.