'Christ' is the transliteration of the Greek term christos, meaning 'anointed', chosen by the Septuagint Bible to translate the Hebrew term mashiah, meaning 'messiah', which in the Old Testament referred to the one who was to come and restore the kingdom of Israel.

Among the many self-proclaimed Christs or Messiahs throughout history, the canonical Gospels identify theirs as Jesus: in turn, this is the transliteration of Ye(ho)shua, meaning 'God saves' or 'God helps', a common Hebrew name which, according to Matthew, was suggested to Joseph in a dream by an angel because Mary's son 'would save his people from their sins'. Therefore, in the Gospel tradition, 'Christian', which of course means 'follower of Christ', refers to a 'follower of Jesus', in line with a usage that the Acts of the Apostles trace back to the community of Antioch.