Boy names that start with X stay rare in the United States. Of the 98 names below, only 40 appear in U.S. Social Security Administration birth records at all (1).
Xavier is the exception, ranking #108 in 2025 with 3,232 boys given the name. Xolani is the fastest riser here, with births over the last decade running about 1,213 percent above the decade before.
Every entry lists origin, meaning, pronunciation and, where the federal data supports one, a current U.S. popularity figure. X marks the spot.
Popularity at a Glance
The most popular names on this list in the United States, 1965 to 2025: Xavier, Xander, Xolani, Xzavier and Xavi.
98 Popular Male Names That Start With X
All 98 names below come with an origin, a meaning, a pronunciation guide and, where the federal birth data covers the name, its current U.S. ranking.
Xaaji
Xaaji is the Somali spelling of Haji, the title given to a Muslim who has completed the pilgrimage to Mecca, and that history of devotion travels straight into the name. Somali spelling puts the X where English would put an H, so it opens as HAH rather than ZAH. For a family that wants faith stated plainly on the birth certificate, Xaaji says it without a word of explanation.
- Origin: Somali
- Meaning: Pilgrim to Mecca
- Pronunciation: HAH-JEE
- Variations: Haji, Xaji
Xabel
Xabel is the Asturian form of Javier, and Asturian is a Romance language still spoken in the hills of northern Spain. The meaning underneath is the new house, the same sense carried by every Xavier variant on this list. The sha- opening makes it noticeably softer than the English versions. Choose it if you want regional character without a name nobody can pronounce.
- Origin: Asturian, Basque
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: sha-BEL
Xabier
Xabier is the Basque and Galician spelling of Xavier, rarely used outside Spain. American parents almost never reach for it: federal birth records hold only 56 U.S. boys named Xabier since 1999, with a best showing of #8,732 in 2011. The sha-BYEHR pronunciation asks for a little coaching at roll call. For a family with Basque or Galician roots, that is a small price for the real spelling.
- Origin: Basque, Galician, Greek
- Meaning: Defender of man
- Pronunciation: sha-BYEHR, sha-bee-EHR
- Variations: Xavier
- Popularity: Xabier last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2022 at #14,236, given to five boys that year.
Xachary
Xachary swaps the Z of Zachary for an X and leaves everything else alone, including the Hebrew sense that God remembers, and parents who love the classic but want the only one in the grade have been trying it since 1990. It has never caught on, and the last decade ran about a fifth below the one before. Zach still works as the nickname, which takes most of the daily friction out of the spelling.
- Origin: English, Hebrew
- Meaning: God remembers
- Pronunciation: ZAK-ah-ree
- Variations: Zachary, Zachery, Zackary, Zackery, Zachari, Zacharie, Zacharey, Zakari, Zakary
- Popularity: Xachary ranked #12,274 in the U.S. in 2024, given to six boys; 148 have been recorded since 1990.
Xacobe
Xacobe is the Galician form of James, and it is bound up with the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage route that ends at Santiago de Compostela where St. James is said to be buried. That gives it a sense of place most Jacob variants never had. Spanish actor Xacobe Sanz keeps it in circulation. Iago and Xaime sit beside it as Galician cousins. It is a strong pick for a family with roots in northwestern Spain, or a walker in the house.
- Origin: Galician
- Meaning: Supplanter
- Pronunciation: jah-KO-beh
- Variations: Iago, Xaime
- Namesakes: Xacobe Sanz, a Spanish actor known for The Mess You Leave Behind and La Jefa del Campeón.
Xadrian
Xadrian reads as a blend of Xavier and Adrian, with the Latin thread underneath pointing back to Hadria. It arrived in U.S. birth records in 2001 and had its best year in 2012. Since then it has slipped, running about 45 percent below the previous decade rather than climbing. That makes it a genuinely uncommon choice instead of a trend to catch.
- Origin: English, Latin
- Meaning: From Hadria
- Pronunciation: ZAY-dree-an
- Popularity: Xadrian ranked #9,663 in the U.S. in 2025, given to eight boys; it peaked at #3,449 in 2012.
Xaiden
Xaiden takes the Aidan family, little fire, and gives it the X opening that carried Jayden and Kayden through two decades. Federal records counted 99 boys named Xaiden in 2025. Births over the last ten years ran about 85 percent above the ten before them, so it is still gaining ground. Zayden is the near neighbor if the X feels like one step too far.
- Origin: English, Irish
- Meaning: Little fire
- Pronunciation: ZAY-din
- Variations: Zayden
- Popularity: Xaiden ranked #1,675 in the U.S. in 2025, and 1,468 boys have carried it since 2004.
Xaime
Xaime is the Galician form of James, ordinary in Galicia and almost unheard of in the United States. The Hebrew root behind James gives it the holder of the heel meaning it shares with Jacob. Saint James is Spain’s patron saint, which is why the name still turns up on so many Galician birth certificates, and Xacobe and Iago are its closest relatives here.
- Origin: Galician, Hebrew
- Meaning: Holder of the heel
- Pronunciation: ZAY-me
- Variations: Iago, Xacobe
Xan
Xan is the Galician short form of John, one syllable and done. It has been showing up in U.S. birth records since 1971, never more than a handful of boys in a year. The longer Xoan is there if you want something fuller on the paperwork. Short X names are thin on the ground, and that is most of Xan’s appeal.
- Origin: Galician
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: ZAN
- Variations: Xoán
- Popularity: Xan last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2023 at #12,180; its best rank was #4,899 back in 1971.
Xandan
Xandan works two ways at once. In English it reads as a blend of Xander and Landen, familiar sounds in a shape nobody else has. In Zapotec it is a place name tied to Santa Ana del Valle in Mexico’s Tlacolula Valley. Either route gives you something that sounds current without borrowing from the top 100.
- Origin: English, Zapotec
- Meaning: Santa Ana del Valle
- Pronunciation: zan-dan
Xander
Xander is the short form of Alexander that broke out on its own, helped along by the character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the 1990s. It comes from the Greek boy’s name Alexander, built from alexo, to defend, and aner, man. More than 40,000 American boys have been named Xander since 1990, which puts it well inside familiar territory. It is also still rising: births over the last decade ran about 40 percent ahead of the decade before. Actor Xander Berkeley, with more than 200 credits behind him, is the bearer most viewers will place.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Defender of man
- Pronunciation: ZAN-duhr
- Variations: Alexander
- Namesakes: Xander Berkeley, an American actor who has appeared in over 200 films and TV shows.
- Popularity: Xander ranked #259 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 1,335 boys, and peaked at #164 in 2017.
Xandinho
Xandinho is the Brazilian affectionate form of Alexandre, with the -inho ending doing the work of -ie or -y in English. Racing driver and entrepreneur Alexandre Sarnes Negrao goes by it. In Brazil it lands as a nickname far more often than a legal first name, and outside Portuguese-speaking countries it is close to unused, which is either the problem or the point.
- Origin: Portuguese
- Meaning: Defender of man
- Pronunciation: shan-DEE-nyo
- Variations: Alex, Xande
- Namesakes: Alexandre Sarnes Negrão, better known as Xandinho, is a Brazilian race car driver and entrepreneur.
Xandres
Xandres is a Basque take on Alexander, trimmed and squared off. The manly sense it carries comes through the Andres half rather than the X. It is too rare to reach the federal publication threshold of five births in a year, so a boy named Xandres would be the only one most people ever meet. Families with Basque ties will hear it as familiar, and everyone else will hear it as new.
- Origin: Basque
- Meaning: Manly
- Pronunciation: zan-dres
Xandro
Xandro is the Portuguese short form of Alexandre, most at home in Portugal and Brazil. Dutch center-back Xandro Schenk carries it in professional soccer. In the United States it only entered birth records in 2022 and has stayed in single digits since. The rounded o ending is the main reason to prefer it over Xander.
- Origin: Portuguese
- Meaning: Defender of man
- Pronunciation: ZAN-dro
- Namesakes: Xandro Schenk, a Dutch professional soccer player who plays as a center-back.
- Popularity: Xandro first appeared in U.S. birth data in 2022 and ranked #12,278 in 2024, given to six boys.
Xandros
Xandros pairs the Hungarian Sandor with the Greek Alexandros and comes out sounding like neither, and federal records call it the rarest of the 40 names here that reach federal records at all: roughly one boy in 250,000 born in 2025 was given it. The -os ending lends a classical weight that Xander does not have. Someone who wants Alexander’s meaning with none of Alexander’s company will find it at the far end of the scale.
- Origin: Hungarian, Greek
- Meaning: Defender of man
- Pronunciation: ZAN-dros
- Variations: Sandor
- Popularity: Xandros ranked #11,926 in the U.S. in 2025, given to six boys; it first appeared in the data in 2022.
Xandru
Xandru is the Maltese form of Alexander, which puts it in a small club of names shaped by an island language. Writer Xandru Fernandez, who works in Asturian, is one of the few bearers likely to surface in an English search. The -u ending is the giveaway that this is Maltese and not Spanish. It is warm and easy to say once you have heard it once.
- Origin: Maltese
- Meaning: Defender of man
- Pronunciation: ZAN-dru
- Namesakes: Xandru Fernández, an Asturian language writer, which is a West Iberian Romance language primarily spoken in Asturias, Spain.
Xandy
Xandy is Alexander at its most casual, the diminutive that never grew up. It suits a family that wants the nickname on the birth certificate rather than waiting for it to arrive on its own. It is too rare to appear in federal birth data, so the spelling is entirely yours to set. Some parents will find it too light for a grown man, and others will hear exactly the friendliness they wanted.
- Origin: English, Greek
- Meaning: Defender of man
- Pronunciation: ZAN-dee
Xannon
Xannon is Shannon with the S traded out, which turns an Irish unisex classic into something modern and hard to place. It entered U.S. birth records in 2011 and has never gone past a handful of boys in a year. The ancient meaning it inherits sits oddly against how new the spelling looks, and that contrast is part of the draw. Shannon remains the option for anyone who wants the sound without the second look.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Ancient
- Pronunciation: ZAN-none
- Variations: Shannon
- Popularity: Xannon last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2023 at #14,103; only 15 boys have been recorded since 2011.
Xannos
Xannos is thought to be a variant of the Greek Xenos, stranger or guest, and it is rare enough that most references simply point you back to Xenos. The double n gives it more thump than Xeno has. It is too rare to reach the federal publication threshold of five births in a year. That makes it a name chosen on sound and Greek roots rather than on any track record.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Stranger
- Pronunciation: ZAN-nos
- Variations: Xenos
Xanthias
Xanthias belongs to ancient Greek comedy, where Aristophanes handed it to several servant characters, and that theatrical history makes it a quiet nod for anyone who studied the classics. The xanth- root means fair-haired, which it shares with Xanthos and Xanthus further down. Three syllables give it more room than most X names ever get.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Fair-haired
- Pronunciation: zan-thee-uhs
Xanthos
Xanthos means yellow or blonde in Greek and was also the name of a river in ancient Anatolia. It reads as a color and a place at the same time. Fans of Greek myth will recognize the root immediately. Nothing in U.S. records suggests anyone else in the class will share it.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Yellow
- Pronunciation: ZAN-thos, KSAN-TOS
Xanthus
Xanthus is the Latinized spelling of Xanthos, and in Homer it belongs to one of the immortal horses of Achilles. That association hands the name speed and a little myth. Federal records show only eleven boys named Xanthus, all since 2004. Parents drawn to Atlas or Orion will hear it as part of the same family.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Fair-haired
- Pronunciation: ZAN-thuhs
- Popularity: Xanthus last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2013 at #13,979; eleven boys have been recorded since 2004.
Xasan
Xasan is the Somali spelling of Hasan, one of the most widely used names across the Arabic-speaking world, and the X here takes a soft h sound rather than a z. Its meaning, handsome, has kept it in constant use for centuries, and Somali orthography is what makes this version look unfamiliar to English readers while sounding entirely ordinary to Somali ones. It is the straightforward pick for a family that wants the Somali spelling on the paperwork.
- Origin: Somali, Arabic
- Meaning: Handsome
- Pronunciation: HAH-san
- Variations: Xäsän
- Namesakes: Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud, a Somali politician who has been the president of Somalia since May 2022.
Xaver
Xaver is the German form of Xavier, clipped to two syllables and stressed on the first. Pianist and composer Xaver Scharwenka is the best known bearer. In the United States it has hovered at the edge of the data since 1987, with 49 boys recorded in total. It is a good middle name for a family that wants the Saint Francis Xavier connection without the American spelling.
- Origin: German, Basque
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: ZAH-veh
- Variations: Xavér
- Namesakes: Xaver Scharwenka, a German pianist, composer, and teacher of Polish descent.
- Popularity: Xaver last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2014; 49 boys have been recorded since 1987, with a best rank of #4,156 in 1988.
Xavi
Xavi is the Catalan short form of Xavier, and for a generation of soccer fans it belongs to one man, the Spanish midfielder turned manager Xavier Hernandez. That association carried it into American use around 2005, and it peaked at #809 in 2011 before easing back, running about 28 percent below the previous decade. Of everything on this list, it is probably the easiest to live with day to day.
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: SHA-bee
- Namesakes: Xavier Hernández, also simply known as Xavi, a Spanish professional soccer manager and former player.
- Popularity: Xavi ranked #1,545 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 112 boys; 2,486 have been recorded since 2005.
Xaviel
Xaviel grafts the Hebrew ending -iel onto Xavier, adding a syllable and a more formal shape. It has been in U.S. records since 1994 and had its strongest year yet in 2025. The extra ending gives it a religious echo that plain Xavier only implies. It suits parents who want something devout without anything from the top of the charts.
- Origin: Spanish, Hebrew
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: ZAY-vee-el
- Popularity: Xaviel ranked #7,166 in the U.S. in 2025, its best year on record, given to 12 boys.
Xavien
Xavien is one of several Xavier spellings that grew up inside American usage rather than being imported. It has been in the data since 1988 and hit its best rank in 2021. Births over the last ten years ran about 67 percent above the ten before, so it is still climbing. Xavian and Xavion are the sibling spellings, and choosing between them mostly comes down to which ending you want to hear at the dinner table.
- Origin: English, Basque
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: ZAY-vee-uhn, ZAY-vee-awn, ig-ZAY-vee-uhn
- Variations: Xavian, Xavion
- Popularity: Xavien ranked #2,761 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 47 boys; it peaked at #1,644 in 2021.
Xavier
Xavier is the anchor of this list and the highest ranked name on it, sitting at #108 in 2025. It began as the Basque place name Etxeberria, from etxe, house, and berri, new, and became a given name in honor of Saint Francis Xavier, the Jesuit missionary born in the village that carried it (2). American use goes back to 1886, and more than 160,000 boys have carried it since. It peaked at #68 in 2007 and has eased off about a quarter on the previous decade, which still leaves it far ahead of anything else here. Filmmaker Xavier Dolan-Tadros gives it a current face. If you want an X name that needs no explaining, this is it.
- Origin: Basque
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: ZAY-vyuhr, ig-ZAY-vyuhr, GZA-VYEH, sha-bee-EH
- Variations: Xzavier, Zavier, Xavior
- Namesakes: Xavier Dolan-Tadros, a Canadian filmmaker and actor known for his roles in Heartbeats and Mommy.
- Popularity: Xavier ranked #108 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 3,232 boys, and peaked at #68 in 2007.
Xavion
Xavion has been in U.S. birth records since 1985, which makes it older than most parents assume. Its best rank came in 2002 and its biggest year in raw numbers came in 2021, and the last decade has run essentially flat against the one before. That steadiness is worth something. It is familiar enough to be spelled once and remembered, with no spike to date it to a particular year.
- Origin: English, Basque
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: ZAY-vee-uhn
- Variations: Xavian, Zavian, Xzavion
- Popularity: Xavion ranked #1,790 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 90 boys; 2,732 have been recorded since 1985.
Xavior
Xavior is Xavier respelled toward the English word savior, which is either the appeal or the objection depending on who you ask. It had a real run in the 2000s, peaking at #1,555 in 2009, then fell further than any other name here, down about 56 percent on the previous decade. Anyone choosing it now is going against the current rather than with it.
- Origin: English, Basque
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: ZAY-vee-uhr
- Variations: Xavier, Xzavier, Zavier
- Popularity: Xavior ranked #6,122 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 15 boys; it peaked at #1,555 in 2009.
Xay
Xay comes from Laos and means victory, which is a lot of meaning for three letters. In Lao the X is a plain s sound, so it rhymes with sigh rather than with day. It stands alone or works as the short form of Xaysana. For Lao American families it keeps the heritage on the birth certificate without a name teachers will stumble over.
- Origin: Lao
- Meaning: Victory
- Pronunciation: SIE
- Variations: Xai, Sai, Say
Xayden
Xayden is a built name rather than an inherited one, the Xa- opening bolted to the -den ending that carries Braden, Hayden and Jayden, and it has no traditional etymology behind it, which some parents count as freedom and others as a gap. What it does have is momentum: 2025 was its best year on record, and the last decade ran roughly double the one before. Someone who likes the -aden sound but wants the least used spelling will land here.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: ZAY-den
- Variations: Xaiden, Zayden
- Popularity: Xayden ranked #1,975 in the U.S. in 2025, its best year yet, given to 78 boys.
Xaysana
Xaysana is the longer Lao form built on the same victory root as Xay. Three syllables give it a rhythm most X names never reach. It is too rare to reach the federal publication threshold of five births in a year, so a boy carrying it here would be introducing it. Xay is the ready-made short form for daily use.
- Origin: Lao
- Meaning: Victory
- Pronunciation: sie-sa-NA
- Variations: Xaisana, Saysana, Saisana
Xayvion
Xayvion adds a y to Xavion and softens the middle of the name. It has been in U.S. records since 1997 and grew about 72 percent over the last decade against the one before. The tradeoff is spelling. With Xavion, Xavien and Xavian all in circulation, this one will be repeated at every appointment, and some families take that as a fair price for a name nobody else in the room has.
- Origin: English, Basque
- Meaning: A new house
- Pronunciation: ZAY-vee-uhn
- Variations: Xavion
- Popularity: Xayvion ranked #4,849 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 21 boys; it peaked at #3,071 in 2021.
Xbalanque
Xbalanque belongs to Maya story, where he is one of the Hero Twins who avenges his father. The name translates as sun of the jaguar, which is about as much force as a name can carry. Pronunciation is the hurdle, and a real one: nothing in the spelling prepares an English speaker for shi-BAY-lan-kay. For a family connected to Maya heritage, it is a hurdle worth clearing.
- Origin: Maya
- Meaning: Sun of the jaguar
- Pronunciation: shi-BAY-lan-kay
Xelhua
Xelhua comes from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztec world, and belongs to one of the seven gods said to have survived a great flood. The initial X takes an sh sound, so it opens far more softly than it looks. This is a name with a story attached rather than a sound-alike of anything current, and families with Nahua roots in Mexico will recognize it straight away.
- Origin: Nahuatl
- Meaning: To divide
- Pronunciation: shehl-wah
Xem
Xem is a Dutch respelling of Sem, which is itself the Dutch form of Shem, Noah’s eldest son. It also serves as a short form of Samuel. Three letters, one syllable and a biblical line behind it is an unusual combination. The X does all the work of making a very old name look new.
- Origin: Dutch
- Meaning: Name of God
- Pronunciation: SEM
- Variations: Sem
Xenagoras
Xenagoras joins xenos, foreign or stranger, with agora, the marketplace, which gives it a meaning about meeting people from elsewhere, and the historian Xenagoras of Heraclea Pontica is the name’s main bearer in the record. Four syllables make it a serious commitment as a first name and an easier one as a middle. For a family drawn to ancient Greek scholarship, it is hard to beat.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Foreign marketplace
- Pronunciation: zen-uh-GOR-uhs
- Namesakes: Xenagoras, a Greek writer and historian from the ancient city of Heraclea Pontica.
Xeno
Xeno is the root that Xenon, Xenophon and Xenagoras all grow out of, standing on its own. The Greek xenos means foreigner or guest, and Xeno keeps that sense without the extra syllables. It only reached U.S. birth records in 2017. Two syllables and a hard start make it one of the more wearable names here.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Foreigner
- Pronunciation: ZEE-no
- Popularity: Xeno ranked #9,667 in the U.S. in 2025, given to eight boys; it first appeared in the data in 2017.
Xenodorus
Xenodorus is built on the same xenos root as Xeno, and its listed meaning, strange gift, comes from the second half. An architect of that name worked in the ancient Greek world. It is long, formal and completely unused in the United States. Parents who want a classical name with no modern baggage at all will find it here.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Strange gift
- Pronunciation: ze-NOD-uh-rus
Xenon
Xenon is the name of a chemical element, taken from the Greek word for stranger, and that double life, ancient root and periodic table, is exactly what makes it work as a futuristic-sounding name. Federal records show a single year, 2017, with five boys named Xenon. It is a science-minded pick that still scans as a real name.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Foreigner
- Pronunciation: ZEE-non
- Variations: Xeno
- Popularity: Xenon appears in U.S. birth data for one year only, 2017, at #14,163, given to five boys.
Xenophon
Xenophon carries the weight of the Greek soldier and writer who commanded a famous mercenary army and then wrote the whole march down. The name means strange voice, which suits a man remembered for what he said on the page. American use is nearly a century old and nearly nonexistent, at fifteen boys since 1927. It is a scholar’s name, and it wears its age well.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Strange voice
- Pronunciation: ZEN-uh-fon
- Variations: Xenofon
- Namesakes: Xenophon, a Greek military leader and philosopher who led one of the greatest mercenary armies of the Achaemenid Empire.
- Popularity: Xenophon last appeared in U.S. birth data in 1974; fifteen boys have been recorded since 1927.
Xerach
Xerach comes from the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa. The meaning listed for it, bad omens, is unusual enough that some parents will read it as a warning and others as folklore worth keeping. Nothing about it appears in U.S. records. If you want a rare name with exotic charm and a real place behind it, Xerach qualifies.
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: Bad omens
- Pronunciation: zeh-RAHK
Xerxes
Xerxes is a king’s name, carried by the fourth ruler of the Achaemenid Empire and instantly recognizable because of him. The Old Persian original, Khshayarsha, gives it the sense of ruler over heroes. It has been in U.S. birth records since 1974 and is gaining, with the last decade running about 58 percent ahead of the one before. Manga readers know it from Xerxes Break in Pandora Hearts. Few names promise this much and deliver it in two syllables.
- Origin: Persian
- Meaning: Ruler over heroes
- Pronunciation: ZURK-seez
- Variations: Khshayarsha, Xshayarsha
- Namesakes: Xerxes I, a Persian ruler who served as the fourth King of the Achaemenid Empire.
- Popularity: Xerxes ranked #5,593 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 17 boys; 304 have been recorded since 1974.
Xesús
Xesus is the Galician form of Jesus, and the X takes an h sound, so it is said much as the Spanish version is. In Galicia it is an ordinary name rather than a bold one, though in the United States both the accent and the spelling need explaining. The accent mark over the u shows where the stress falls, a detail easy to lose on an American form.
- Origin: Galician
- Meaning: God is salvation
- Pronunciation: heh-SOOS
- Variations: Jesus
Xetsuwu
Xetsuwu is a Tlingit name from the coastal peoples of southeast Alaska and British Columbia. It belonged to a chief of the Chilkat Tlingit at Klukwan, who took the role after his uncle. It is tied to a specific clan and a specific place, which is worth respecting before borrowing it. Families outside that heritage may find it a name to admire rather than to use.
- Origin: Tlingit
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: zeh-TSWOO
- Namesakes: Xetsuwu, a chief of the Chilkat Tlingit at Klukwan.
Xever
Xever is a Spanish variant in the Xavier family, carrying the same new house sense. A fictional Xever Montes appears in the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, which is where most people will have met it. It is too rare to appear in federal birth data, so it stays genuinely rare. It also makes a strong middle name choice for your child when the first name is already common.
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: ZEH-VUR
- Variations: Zever
Xhafer
Xhafer is the Albanian spelling of Jafar, and the xh digraph is said like the j in jam. Politician Xhafer Ypi is the name’s best documented bearer, and Albanian orthography is the only thing making this look harder than it sounds. For families with Albanian roots it is an everyday name, and for everyone else it is a lesson in one letter combination.
- Origin: Albanian, Arabic
- Meaning: Stream
- Pronunciation: dzha-FER
- Variations: Jafar
- Namesakes: Xhafer Ypi, an Albanian politician for the Popular Party.
Xhavit
Xhavit is the Albanian form of the Arabic name Javid, meaning alive. Kickboxer Xhavit Bajrami, who fought in the heavyweight division, is the bearer most likely to come up in a search. The xh opening is the same j sound found in Xhafer and Xhelal. It is short, firm and almost unheard of outside Albanian-speaking communities.
- Origin: Albanian, Arabic
- Meaning: Alive
- Pronunciation: dzha-VEET
- Variations: Javid
- Namesakes: Xhavit Bajrami, an Albanian-Swiss former kickboxer who competed in the heavyweight division.
Xhelal
Xhelal is the Albanian form of Jalal, a name that travels across Arabic, Turkish and Albanian carrying the same sense of greatness. Xhelal Bey Koprencka signed the Albanian Declaration of Independence, which places the name in the country’s founding story. Galal and Jalal are the spellings you will meet elsewhere, and the soft opening and stressed second syllable make it more musical than most entries here.
- Origin: Albanian, Arabic
- Meaning: Greatness
- Pronunciation: dzheh-LAHL
- Variations: Galal, Jalal
- Namesakes: Xhelal Bey Koprëncka, an Albanian politician and one of the signers of the Albanian Declaration of Independence.
Xherdan
Xherdan means golden, and soccer fans will know it from Xherdan Shaqiri. The name is common enough in Albanian-speaking regions and essentially absent everywhere else. Its zh opening is notably soft for the language. That gives it warmth without costing it any strength.
- Origin: Albanian
- Meaning: Golden
- Pronunciation: ZHUR-dahn
- Namesakes: Xherdan Shaqiri, a Swiss professional soccer player for Chicago Fire and the Switzerland national team.
Xhevahir
Xhevahir is the Albanian word for jewel used as a name, which is unusual for a boy in English-speaking countries and completely ordinary in Albania, and poet Xhevahir Spahiu, a member of the Albanian Academy of Sciences, carries it. Three syllables give it a flowing shape rather than a blunt one. It is a name that states outright how the family feels about the child.
- Origin: Albanian
- Meaning: Jewel
- Pronunciation: jeh-va-eer, jeh-va-heer
- Namesakes: Xhevahir Spahiu, a member of the Albanian Academy of Sciences and one of the country’s most famous poets.
Xhevdet
Xhevdet is the Albanian form of the Turkish boy’s name Cevdet, which traces back to the Arabic Jawdat, meaning greatness or excellence. Poet and screenwriter Xhevdet Bajraj is a notable bearer. The consonant cluster at the front is the only real difficulty, and it disappears the moment you hear it said aloud. For a family with Balkan roots it is a solid, grown-up choice.
- Origin: Albanian, Turkish, Arabic
- Meaning: Greatness
- Pronunciation: dzhehv-DET
- Variations: Cevdet
- Namesakes: Xhevdet Bajraj, an Albanian-Kosovar poet and screenwriter who resided in Mexico.
Xhoi
Xhoi is the Albanian spelling of Joey, and it lands on an English ear as the word joy. The Hebrew root behind Joseph gives it the meaning he will add. One syllable makes it easy anywhere, even if the spelling raises an eyebrow first, and it is friendly in a way that most names on this list are not even trying to be.
- Origin: Albanian, Hebrew
- Meaning: He will add
- Pronunciation: ZHOY
- Variations: Joey
Xhosas
Xhosas is drawn from the Xhosa people of South Africa, cattle herders whose language is built around click consonants. The Xh here is a click (3): the tongue goes behind the top teeth, air is drawn in, and the release makes the sound. Said without the click it turns into something else entirely, which is worth knowing before committing to it. Said correctly, the click gives it a sound no other name on this list has.
- Origin: Xhosa
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: (Click)-OWH-sahs
Xhuuyaa
Xhuuyaa is the Haida word for raven, a bird at the center of Haida story. The Haida homeland is Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off the coast of British Columbia, and the doubled vowels give the name its long, open sound. Like the other Indigenous names here, it belongs to a specific people, which is worth weighing before choosing it.
- Origin: Haida
- Meaning: Raven
- Pronunciation: shoo-YAH
Xi
Xi is two letters and one syllable, and in Chinese it can mean happiness or joy. It reached U.S. birth records in 2017 and is given to boys and girls in nearly equal numbers. The pronunciation is closer to chee than to zye, which is the first thing anyone will get wrong. As a middle name it slips in behind almost anything.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Happiness
- Pronunciation: CHEE
- Namesakes: Xi Jinping, a Chinese politician and general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.
- Popularity: Xi ranked #9,668 in the U.S. in 2025, given to eight boys; close to half of all U.S. births recorded with the name have been girls.
Xian
Xian is tied to virtue and skill in Chinese, which gives it a settled, grown-up feel. Filipino American actor Xian Lim has kept it visible outside China. In the United States it has been quietly climbing, up about 47 percent over the last decade against the one before. One syllable, and easy to say once you know the sh opening.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Greatness, skillful
- Pronunciation: SHYEHN
- Namesakes: Xian Lim, a Filipino-American actor, model, singer, host, blogger, filmmaker and professional basketball player.
- Popularity: Xian ranked #5,195 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 19 boys; 376 have been recorded since 1997.
Xiang
Xiang can carry the sense of fragrance or of good fortune, depending on the character behind it. The military leader Xiang Liang, who led a rebellion against the Qin dynasty, is one bearer from the historical record. It has appeared in U.S. data only occasionally since 2001. The ng ending gives it a soft landing that suits the meaning.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Good luck
- Pronunciation: SHYAHNG
- Namesakes: Xiang Liang, a military leader who led a rebellion against the Qin dynasty.
- Popularity: Xiang last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2016 at #14,106; 33 boys have been recorded since 2001.
Xianyu
Xianyu joins xian, fine or graceful, with yu, rain, and it is used more often for girls, though nothing in the sound argues against a boy. Two soft syllables make it gentler than most entries on this list. Xian works as the short form if the full name feels like a lot to hand a newborn.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Graceful rain
- Pronunciation: SHYEN-yoo
- Variations: Xian Yu
Xiao
Xiao here is the Galician name, a form of Xian that traces back to the Roman Julius. That makes it a cousin of Julian rather than a Chinese name, despite how the spelling looks. It is used mainly in Galicia and has been rare in U.S. records since the 1980s. The overlap with the identically spelled Chinese word is worth knowing about before you choose it.
- Origin: Galician, Greek
- Meaning: Downy-bearded
- Pronunciation: shee-OW
- Popularity: Xiao last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2006; 65 boys have been recorded since 1984, with a best rank of #9,530 in 1993.
Xiaowei
Xiaowei combines xiao, morning or dawn, with wei, great, so the name reads as a bright start. Two syllables give it more presence than the shorter Chinese names here. It is too rare to reach the federal publication threshold of five births in a year. The wei sound pairs easily with an English middle name, if parents want one.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Great morning
- Pronunciation: SHYOW-WAY
Xiaoyao
Xiaoyao comes from the Zhuangzi, where it describes moving freely and at ease in the world. That is an unusually philosophical thing for a name to mean. The repeated vowels make it sing a little. It suits parents who want calm in a name rather than force.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: At peace
- Pronunciation: SHYOW-YOW
Xiao Yi
Xiao Yi means smiling expression, and it can also read as little sister, which is part of why it is used for both boys and girls. This unisex name is one of the very few here written as two separate words. The space is the practical catch, since American forms will usually close it up, but the meaning is warm enough to be worth the paperwork.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Smiling expression
- Pronunciation: SHYOW-EE
- Namesakes: Xiao Yi, a Chinese politician and former Jiangxi Provincial Committee vice chairman.
Xilo
Xilo traces to the ancient Greek xulon, wood, and it arrives with a Portuguese accent. It only entered U.S. birth records in 2023, so it is genuinely new here rather than revived. Two syllables, an easy ending, and a nature meaning nobody needs explained. Xylo is the alternate spelling if you would rather have the y.
- Origin: Portuguese, Spanish, Greek
- Meaning: Wood
- Pronunciation: ZEE-loh
- Variations: Xylo, Xiló
- Popularity: Xilo first appeared in U.S. birth data in 2023 and ranked #8,879 in 2025, given to nine boys.
Ximen
Ximen is the Aragonese form of Ximeno, itself the Spanish and Basque equivalent of Simon. Aragonese survives in the Pyrenean valleys of northern Spain, about as narrow a home base as a name can have. Its first U.S. birth record came in 2024. It sounds close enough to Simon to be understood and far enough from it to stand alone.
- Origin: Aragonese, Hebrew
- Meaning: Listening
- Pronunciation: shi-MEHN
- Variations: Ximeno
- Popularity: Ximen first appeared in U.S. birth data in 2024 at #14,179, given to five boys.
Ximenes
Ximenes is the Portuguese form of Jimenez, a patronymic meaning son of Jimeno. The cardinal and statesman Ximenes de Cisneros rose from a modest start to become a religious reformer, regent of Spain, Grand Inquisitor and the founder of a university at Alcala. That is a great deal of history in one name. As a first name it is unusual, though a surname turned first name always has precedent.
- Origin: Portuguese
- Meaning: Son of Jimeno
- Pronunciation: shee-MEH-nish, shee-MEH-nesh
- Variations: Jiménez
- Namesakes: Ximenes de Cisneros, a prominent Spanish cardinal and statesman.
Ximiao
Ximiao joins xi, mountain stream, with miao, a wide expanse of water. The result is a name made entirely of moving water. Two syllables, no hard consonants, and a meaning that suits a child born near a coast or a river. It is too rare to reach the federal publication threshold of five births in a year, which keeps it entirely uncommon here.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Wide mountain stream
- Pronunciation: shee-myow
- Variations: Xi Miao
Xin
Xin began as the name of an ancient Chinese state during the Xia dynasty, granted by King Qi to one of his sons whose descendants took it as their surname, and it means new. It works as a first, middle or last name that begins with X, which is rare flexibility. Journalist Liu Xin is a well known bearer.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: New
- Pronunciation: SHEEN
- Namesakes: Liu Xin, a Chinese host and journalist for the China Global Television Network.
- Popularity: Xin last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2023; 210 boys have been recorded since 1999, with a best rank of #6,238 in 2005.
Xin-Fang
Xin-Fang carries a set of positive senses at once, from heart to being at ease. The Peking opera actor Zhou Xinfang, known on stage as Qilin Tong, made it familiar in Chinese theater. Hyphenated Chinese given names are common in transliteration and much less common on American birth certificates. The fang element gives the second half its weight.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: To be at ease
- Pronunciation: SHEEN-fahng
- Namesakes: Zhou Xinfang, also known by his stage name Qilin Tong, a Chinese Peking opera actor who specialized in “old male” roles.
Xing-fu
Xing-fu is happiness stated outright, which is about as direct as naming gets. It is used mainly in Chinese-speaking regions. The two-part shape sits better with a short surname than a long one. Parents who want the wish visible in the name itself will like it.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Happiness
- Pronunciation: SHING-FOO
Xinyi
Xinyi combines xin, heart or joy, with yi, harmony, so it reads as joy and calm together. It has been in U.S. records since 2005 and is given to both boys and girls. Two smooth syllables and no consonant clusters make it easy to say. The spelling is the only part that will need repeating.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Heart of joy
- Pronunciation: SHEEN-EE
- Popularity: Xinyi last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2020 at #11,035; 132 boys have been recorded since 2005.
Xiomar
Xiomar is the Spanish form of Guiomar, built from Germanic elements meaning war and famous. In Arthurian romance Guiomar was a cousin of Guinevere, which hands the name a literary line. It has been in U.S. records since 2006 and used steadily, if never widely. The hard ending gives it a firmness the softer X names lack.
- Origin: Spanish, Germanic
- Meaning: Famous battle
- Pronunciation: zhoh-MAR
- Variations: Guiomar
- Popularity: Xiomar ranked #10,629 in the U.S. in 2025, given to seven boys; 102 have been recorded since 2006.
Xion
Xion is Zion respelled, and Zion began as the name of a citadel in Jerusalem before it came to stand for the Jewish homeland and for heaven. The X version has grown fast, with the last decade running about 240 percent above the one before and 2024 bringing its best rank so far. It is used for boys and girls. If Zion feels too widely used, this is the quieter door into the same name.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Jewish homeland
- Pronunciation: SHE-on
- Variations: Zion, Shion
- Popularity: Xion ranked #1,791 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 90 boys, and hit its best rank of #1,734 in 2024.
Xipilli
Xipilli means jeweled prince in Nahuatl, and it may have belonged to a warrior present at the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521. The double l gives it a soft, rolling finish. It is too rare to appear in federal birth data. The warrior it may be named for stood at one of the most documented moments in Mesoamerican history.
- Origin: Nahuatl
- Meaning: Jeweled prince
- Pronunciation: schee-pee-lee
Xiuhcoatl
Xiuhcoatl is the turquoise serpent of Aztec belief, the spirit form of the fire god Xiuhtecuhtli. That is a striking image to hand a child. The spelling is the obstacle, and a real one in an English-speaking country. Families who want the myth without the daily spelling lesson often keep it as a middle name.
- Origin: Nahuatl
- Meaning: Turquoise serpent
- Pronunciation: shee-OOH-koh-atl
Xoán
Xoan is the Galician form of John, which makes it a relative of Ian, Sean, Juan and Jean all at once. Actor Xoan Forneas is a current bearer. The accent matters and will not survive every American form field. Xan is the short version already on this list.
- Origin: Galician, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: SHWANG
- Variations: Xan
- Namesakes: Xóan Fórneas, a Spanish actor known for his role as Manu on Netflix’s Elite.
Xochipilli
Xochipilli was the Aztec god of flowers, song, love and games, a playful figure among Aztec deities. The meaning, flower prince, is unusually gentle for a deity name. Four syllables ask a lot of a small child learning to write it out. As a middle name it delivers all of the meaning and none of the trouble.
- Origin: Nahuatl
- Meaning: Flower prince
- Pronunciation: soh-chee-PEE-lee
Xoday
Xoday is a Tatar name drawn from the Persian Khuda, God. The Tatar communities that use it are spread across Russia and parts of Eurasia. The X takes an h sound here, just as it does in the Somali names at the top of this list. It is a plain statement of faith in a form very few people will have seen before.
- Origin: Tatar
- Meaning: God
- Pronunciation: HO-daie
Xoel
Xoel is the Galician form of Joel, the biblical prophet. Musician Xoel Lopez carried it into Spanish rock. The X gives a very old name a contemporary opening without changing a thing about what it means. It reached U.S. birth records only in 2018, so it is still new on this side of the Atlantic.
- Origin: Galician
- Meaning: Yahweh is God
- Pronunciation: sho-EL
- Variations: Joel
- Namesakes: Xoel López, a Spanish alternative rock musician formerly known as Deluxe.
- Popularity: Xoel ranked #10,886 in the U.S. in 2024, given to seven boys; it first appeared in the data in 2018.
Xofre
Xofre is the Galician form of Geoffrey, and it sounds nothing like it, which is half the appeal. The meaning it carries points to a territory at peace. It is too rare to reach the federal publication threshold of five births in a year. For a Galician family it is a way to honor a Geoffrey without repeating the spelling.
- Origin: Galician
- Meaning: Territory of peace
- Pronunciation: SHO-fray
Xolani
Xolani is a Zulu name meaning “peace” or calm, and the X is a click: the tongue touches behind the top teeth, the lips seal, suction builds, and the release makes the sound. It is the fastest rising name on this list by a wide margin, with births over the last ten years running about 1,213 percent above the ten before them. Soccer midfielder Xolani Mdaki is one bearer. Even said without the click, it is smooth and easy to carry through a lifetime.
- Origin: Zulu
- Meaning: Peace
- Pronunciation: (Click)-OH-lah-nee
- Namesakes: Xolani Mdaki, a South African soccer midfielder for the Royal Eagles.
- Popularity: Xolani ranked #1,124 in the U.S. in 2025, its best year on record, given to 209 boys.
Xolotl
Xolotl comes from Aztec belief, where he is the dog-headed god of lightning and death. The final tl is a genuine Nahuatl sound and a genuine hurdle in English. Nothing about the name is soft. It is for parents who want mythology with teeth in it.
- Origin: Nahuatl
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: SHOH-loh-tl
Xquenda
Xquenda comes from Zapotec, built from guenda, spirit or essence, with the possessive prefix x-. So the name lands close to one’s own soul. Starting a name with xq is unusual in any language. Say it as SKWEN-dah and the Q disappears into the rest of the word.
- Origin: Zapotec
- Meaning: Spirit
- Pronunciation: SKWEN-dah
Xuan
Xuan means spring in Chinese and Vietnamese, the season of starting over. In Asturias it is a completely separate name, a form of John. That double origin gives it reach across two continents at once. Song dynasty painter Qian Xuan is the historical bearer most often cited. It has been in U.S. records since 1977, always in small numbers.
- Origin: Vietnamese, Chinese, Hebrew, Asturian
- Meaning: Spring, God is gracious
- Pronunciation: SWAHN
- Namesakes: Qian Xuan, a Chinese painter who lived during the Song Dynasty and early Yuan Dynasty.
- Popularity: 242 boys named Xuan have been recorded in U.S. birth data since 1977, its best year reaching #4,958 in 1981; the name last showed up in the federal count in 2019.
Xue
Xue means snow, and the name carries the quiet that comes with it. Chess grandmaster Zhao Xue is a well known bearer. It is used for boys and girls, and it has been rare in U.S. records since the 1980s. For a winter baby it needs no further justification.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Snow
- Pronunciation: SHWEH
- Namesakes: Zhao Xue, a Chinese chess player and the 24th Chinese person to achieve the Grandmaster title.
- Popularity: Xue last appeared in U.S. birth data in 2000; 29 boys have been recorded since 1981.
Xuehua
Xuehua puts snow and flower together, an image of a single snowflake. It is the longer sibling of Xue and shares its cool, quiet feel. The kh sound in the middle is the part that needs practice. It is unrecorded in U.S. birth data, which keeps it entirely distinctive.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Snowflower
- Pronunciation: SHWEH-KHWAH
Xulam
Xulam works as both a first name and a surname in Kurdish. Its meaning, servant, reads as devotion rather than as subordination. It belongs to a people whose history has demanded a great deal of endurance, and the name is often heard that way. Two syllables and easy stress make it simple to say in any setting.
- Origin: Kurdish
- Meaning: Servant
- Pronunciation: zhoo-lahm
Xulio
Xulio is the Galician form of the Roman boy’s name Julius, thought to mean downy-bearded. The X opening turns one of the oldest names in Europe into something that looks brand new. In practice it stays close to Galicia. If Julius feels too formal, this is the same name wearing different clothes.
- Origin: Galician
- Meaning: Downy-bearded
- Pronunciation: SHOO-lyuw
Xun
Xun can mean fast, sudden, rank or deed depending on the character behind it. The writer Lu Xun, a leading figure in modern Chinese literature, is the bearer most people will know. One syllable makes it a natural middle name. It suits a child who is going to be quick about everything.
- Origin: Chinese
- Meaning: Fast
- Pronunciation: SHOON
- Namesakes: Lu Xun, a Chinese writer and a leading figure of modern Chinese literature.
Xunaxi
Xunaxi comes from Zapotec, spoken in the Oaxaca region of Mexico, and carries a sense of purity or of something precious. The alternating vowels make it unusually musical. It is unrecorded in U.S. birth data. Choosing it connects a child to a living Indigenous language rather than a historical one.
- Origin: Zapotec
- Meaning: Pure
- Pronunciation: shoo-NAH-shee
Xurshid
Xurshid is the Uzbek spelling of Khurshid, a name for the sun found across Persian-influenced Central Asia. The X and the Kh are the same sound written two different ways. A bright meaning attached to a firm, consonant-heavy name is a good balance. Khurshid is the spelling to use if you want fewer questions.
- Origin: Uzbek
- Meaning: Shining sun
- Pronunciation: khoor-SHEED
- Variations: Khurshid
Xurxo
Xurxo is the Galician form of George, its sh- opening a world away from the English original. Its meaning, earthworker, is the same one behind every George. Writer and translator Xurxo Borrazas Farina carries it. It is a strong regional choice that will need spelling out for life outside Galicia.
- Origin: Galician
- Meaning: Earthworker
- Pronunciation: SHOOR-sho
- Namesakes: Xurxo Borrazás Fariña, a Spanish writer and translator from English to Galician.
Xwm
Xwm is a Hmong name traditionally given to a second-born son, and it is spelled without a vowel letter, which is why it looks impossible before you hear it. The Hmong people come from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. In an American classroom it is a genuinely unique name. Say ZWUHM once and most people remember it after that.
- Origin: Hmong
- Meaning: Second son
- Pronunciation: ZWUHM
Xyler
Xyler is Tyler with an X, a swap that turns a 1990s staple into something current. It has been in U.S. birth records since 2004 and has held roughly steady over the last decade. There is no traditional meaning behind it. What it offers is a familiar sound in an unfamiliar shape, which is the whole point of most modern respellings.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: ZIE-luhr
- Variations: Zyler
- Popularity: Xyler ranked #7,167 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 12 boys; 272 have been recorded since 2004.
Xylon
Xylon is the Greek word for timber used as a name. It has been climbing, with the last decade running about 49 percent ahead of the one before and its best rank arriving as recently as 2023. It shares a root with Xilo higher up this list. The -on ending gives it a classical finish that Xilo trades away for softness.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Timber
- Pronunciation: ZIGH-lawn
- Popularity: Fifteen boys received the name Xylon in 2025, when it ranked #6,125 nationally; its strongest showing came in 2023 at #4,337.
Xystos
Xystos means scraped or polished in Greek and is the Greek counterpart of Sixtus, which ties back to the Latin sextus, sixth. Five popes have used the name Sixtus, so it carries real church history behind it. It has no U.S. birth records of its own. For a Christian family that has had enough of Matthew and John, it is an unexpected way into the same tradition.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Polished
- Pronunciation: ZIS-tos
Xzavier
Xzavier is Xavier with a Z pushed in, an American respelling that has been in the data since 1976. It peaked around 2010 and 2011 and has since fallen about 46 percent on the previous decade. More than 8,000 boys have carried it, so it is not obscure, just past its moment. The double consonant opening is the thing to weigh: it looks bolder than Xavier and gets misspelled more often.
- Origin: English, Basque
- Meaning: The new house
- Pronunciation: ZAY-vyuhr, ig-ZAY-vyuhr
- Variations: Xavier, Zavier, Xavior
- Popularity: Xzavier ranked #1,485 in the U.S. in 2025, given to 120 boys, and reached its best rank of #550 in 2010.
