CHR

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

CHR
Stands forContemporary hit radio
Meanings2
CategoriesArts & Entertainment, Writing & Everyday
Also writtenchr.

CHR has two meanings. It stands for Contemporary hit radio (music) or Christened (genealogy).

Meanings of CHR at a glance

#CHR stands forContext
1Contemporary hit radioArts & Entertainment › Music
2ChristenedWriting & Everyday › Genealogy

1. Contemporary hit radio

Arts & Entertainment · Music Abbreviations

Radio format playing current popular hits in rotation, the industry term for Top 40 radio. Billboard and Mediabase track CHR airplay charts.

Example: The single jumped into the top ten at CHR this week.

The format traces to Todd Storz and Gordon McLendon, who built Top 40 radio in the 1950s around frequent repeats of the bestselling songs. Rhythmic CHR stations add more hip-hop and R&B, while Hot AC stations mix current hits with recent favorites for an older audience.

2. Christened (chr.)

Writing & Everyday · Genealogy Abbreviations

Records a christening, the naming and baptism ceremony, in genealogical databases and family trees. FamilySearch and many older indexes use chr. interchangeably with bap.

Example: Chr. 2 Feb 1803, Leeds Parish Church; father John Ackroyd, clothier.

The GEDCOM standard has separate tags for christening (CHR) and baptism (BAPM), though most records treat them as the same event. Churches that practice believer's baptism, such as Baptists, recorded adults rather than infants. In Bible citations, Chr. abbreviates the books of Chronicles.

More music abbreviations

  • BMI – Broadcast Music, Inc.
  • BPM – Beats per minute
  • BTS – Bangtan Sonyeondan
  • BWV – Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (Bach Works Catalogue)
  • CMA – Country Music Association
  • cresc. – Crescendo
  • D.C. – Da capo
  • D.S. – Dal segno

See all 56 music abbreviations →

More genealogy abbreviations

  • bef. – Before
  • bet. – Between (date range)
  • bur. – Buried
  • cem. – Cemetery
  • d. – Died
  • d.s.p. – Decessit sine prole (died without issue)
  • d.v.p. – Decessit vita patris (died in the father's lifetime)
  • dau. – Daughter

See all 29 genealogy abbreviations →