“Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:16).
Other than its presence here in 1 Peter 4:16, the word “Christian” appears in only two other Biblical passages…
“Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:25-26).
“Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’ And Paul said, ‘I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains'” (Acts 26:28-29).
One source clarifies the significance of the word “Christian” in the lives of Jesus’ followers…
“What does the term mean? The answer is found in the -ian ending. Among the ancients, the -ian ending meant ‘belonging to the party of.’ Herodians, then, belonged to the party of Herod. Caesarians belonged to the party of Caesar. Christians belonged to Christ. And Christians were loyal to Christ, just as the Herodians were loyal to Herod and Caesarians were loyal to Caesar.
The significance of the name Christian was that these followers of Jesus were recognized as a distinct group. They were seen as distinct from Judaism and from all other religions of the ancient world. We might loosely translate the term Christian to mean ‘one who belongs to Christ,’ ‘a Christ-one,’ or perhaps ‘Christ-follower.’ Christians are people who believe in Christ and have a personal relationship with Him.
You might find it helpful to ponder what one resident of Antioch might have said to another regarding these committed followers of Jesus: ‘Who are these people?’ The other person would answer, ‘Oh, these are the people who are always talking about Christ — they are the Christ-people, or the Christians.’
Those who have studied the culture of Antioch have noted that the Antiochans were well known for making fun of people. It may be that the early followers of Jesus were initially called Christians by local residents as a term of derision or ridicule. History reveals that by the second century, Christians adopted the title as a badge of honor. They took pride (in a healthy kind of way) in following Jesus. They had a genuine relationship with the living, resurrected Christ and they were utterly faithful to Him, even in the face of death.” (1)
(1) Ron Rhodes, The Complete Book Of Bible Answers, Copyright © 1997 Harvest House Publishers Eugene, Oregon [pg. 183]