Xander
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Xander
Xander is a diminutive of Alexander, the Latin variation of the Greek Alexandros. Its meaning, "defending men," is taken from the Greek roots aléxein, "to defend," and andros, "men." Zander, pronounced the same way, is an alternate spelling.
One of the newer short forms of Alexander, Xander is a spelling that first saw the spotlight via Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and then as Vin Diesel's character in XXX. Mad Men star January Jones named her son Xander Dane.
Even shorter forms Xan and Zan are now also being used on their own. Xan is a character in the P. D. James novel The Children of Men and is a favorite choice of computer game creators.
Xander is also given to girls.
Pronounced ZAN-der.
As of October 2026, Xander ranked #259 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #164 in 2017, Nameberry popularity #274.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #211 | 1,839 | 957.4 |
| 2015 | #206 | 1,932 | 1,008 |
| 2016 | #201 | 2,016 | 1,062.3 |
| 2017 | #164 | 2,413 | 1,303.7 |
| 2018 | #171 | 2,274 | 1,252.1 |
| 2019 | #169 | 2,335 | 1,301.4 |
| 2020 | #188 | 2,054 | 1,190 |
| 2021 | #187 | 2,016 | 1,152.3 |
| 2022 | #200 | 1,899 | 1,087.6 |
| 2023 | #215 | 1,711 | 1,000.2 |
| 2024 | #216 | 1,665 | 966.4 |
| 2025 | #259 | 1,335 | 781.6 |
World rankings
Xander for boys
Similar names
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Xander on lists
Famous Xanders
- Xander Yan BogaertsBoy
Aruban baseball player
- Alexander Harper "Xander" BerkeleyBoy
American actor
- Alexander "Xander" RawlinsBoy
English singer,songwriter
- Xander CorvusBoy
American actor
- Xander Theodore Shanxi KostromaBoy
Welsh fashion designer
- Alexander "Xander" AngelesBoy
Filipino fashion photographer
- Xander ParishBoy
English ballet dancer
- Xander McGuire (b. 2004)Boy
son of actor Eddie McGuire
- Xander Dane Jones (b. 2011)Boy
son of actress January Jones
- Xander Maximilian Perks (b. 2016)Boy
son of model Noelle Reno and Nick Perks
Xander in pop culture
- Jonathan Alexander (Xander) EmersonBoy
main male character in Scarlett Avery’s book “Delectably British”.
- Alexander Lavelle "Xander" HarrisBoy
character on TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
- Xander CarrowBoy
character in the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie
- Xander (pronounced "Alexander") SpenceBoy
character in "The Distance Between Us" by Kasie West
- XanderBoy
character in the Pandora series by Carolyn Hennesy
- Xander ClavellBoy
character in "The Sims 3" computer game
- XanderBoy
character in the video game Fire Emblem: Fates
- XanderBoy
character on TV's "Bunk'd"
- Xander CageBoy
main protagonist in "xXx" movies series
- Xander HaleBoy
character in the Addicted Series
- Alexander "Xander" HawthorneBoy
character in bestselling Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- XanderBoy
character in "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga