Boy · #230 in 2026

Xander

Xander is an abbreviated form of the name Alexander and pronounced like "Zander". Alexander is the Latin form of the Greek name "Alexandros". The name's meaning is interpreted from "alexein" which means "to defend" plus "andros" which translates to "man, warrior" in a relationship or possessive form. Hence the meaning: defender of man.

  • Dutch
  • English
Current Rank
#230
Peak Rank
#164 (2017)
Total Babies
42K
5-Yr Trend
-24%
2004
First Year
2023
Last Year
2016
Peak Year
#10109
Peak Rank
68
Total Count
9
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Xander

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Xander is an abbreviated form of the name Alexander and pronounced like "Zander". Alexander is the Latin form of the Greek name "Alexandros". The name's meaning is interpreted from "alexein" which means "to defend" plus "andros" which translates to "man, warrior" in a relationship or possessive form. Hence the meaning: defender of man.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Dutch
  • English

The Story of Xander

Xander first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1990, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 2,413 Xanders were born — ranking #164 that year. As of 2026, Xander ranks #230 for baby boys with 1,569 births, falling sharply (-24%). In total, more than 42K Xanders have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Xander

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Xander. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Notable people named Xander

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Xander (Danish singer) (born 1988), Danish singer (full name Alexander Theo Linnet)
  • Xander (Dutch singer) (born 1985), Dutch singer songwriter (full name Xander Van Gameren)
  • Xander (South Korean singer) (born 1988), also known as Alexander (full name Alexander Lee Eusebio)
  • Xander de Buisonjé , (born 1973), Dutch singer
  • Xander Rawlins , a British singer-songwriter known for his British Army charity single "1000 Miles Apart"
  • Xander Berkeley (born 1955), American actor
  • Xander Marro (born 1975), puppet-maker and projectionist
  • Xander Mobus (born 1992), American voice actor

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Xander

Phonetically similar names — useful when Xander is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Xander

What does the name Xander mean?
Xander is an abbreviated form of the name Alexander and pronounced like "Zander". Alexander is the Latin form of the Greek name "Alexandros". The name's meaning is interpreted from "alexein" which means "to defend" plus "andros" which translates to "man, warrior" in a relationship or possessive form. Hence the meaning: defender of man.
What is the origin of the name Xander?
Xander has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Dutch, English.
How popular is Xander in 2026?
In 2026, Xander ranks #230 among boys' names in the U.S., with 1,569 babies given the name that year.
When was Xander most popular?
Xander reached its peak popularity in 2017, ranking #164 that year with 2,413 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Xander most popular?
Xander has historically been most popular in Maine, Wyoming, U.S. Territories. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Xander.
Is Xander a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Xander is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Xander?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Xander include Carroll, Wilfred, Bryant. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Xander?
Common variants and related forms of Xander include Al, Alec, Alex, Alexander, Lex, Sander. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Xander

Xander is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1990 and has accumulated 42K births in the dataset. Xander's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #164. Use the chart and map above to compare Xander's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.