Baby Names Starting With X, Girls and Boys

X is the rarest starting letter for baby names in English by a wide margin, so this page covers both girls and boys together rather than splitting into two thinner pages.

X names for girls

  • Xiomara (Germanic in origin, filtered through Spanish, commonly read as meaning “famous in battle”)
  • Ximena (Spanish, a feminine form linked to Simon, meaning “one who listens”)
  • Xanthe (Greek, meaning “golden” or “yellow”)

X names for boys

  • Xavier (Basque, originally a place name meaning “new house,” later the surname of the 16th-century Jesuit missionary Saint Francis Xavier)
  • Xander (a short form of Alexander, Greek in origin, meaning “defender of men”)
  • Xerxes (Persian, the name of a 5th-century BC Persian king, commonly read as meaning “ruler of heroes”)

Quick facts

Common origins Basque, Greek, Spanish, Persian
Common meaning themes battle, defense, rulership
Note X is genuinely the least-used starting letter for given names in English; Xavier is by far the most established of this small group

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular baby name starting with X?

Xavier is by far the most commonly used X name for boys in English-speaking countries, with Ximena and Xiomara being the closest equivalents for girls.

Is Xander a full name or just a nickname?

Both. Xander is commonly used as a short form of Alexander, but it is also given as a complete standalone name in its own right.

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