Given name & surname
Xander
“helper and defender of mankind”
Xander is a variant of Xandra. In Greek use, Xandra carries the interpretation “helper and defender of mankind.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Greek use, Xander carries the interpretation “helper and defender of mankind.” Xander is a variant of Xandra. In Greek use, Xandra carries the interpretation “helper and defender of mankind.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Greek.
How it developed
Xander is used as a form of Alexander.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1990. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Xander through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 40,349
- 40,281 boys · 68 girls
- Most popular year
- 2017
- 2,421 babies
- 2025
- 1,335
- #259 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −22%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,335 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 259 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 22.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 2,414 in 2017. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (185). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 27,442 as a first name in 2020; 330 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Xander’s family of names
In English usage, Xander is a diminutive of Alexander. In English usage, Xander has a conventional equivalent in the German form Alex. Xander is a form of Alexander.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Xander has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
11 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Xander
- Xander BerkeleyAmerican actorborn 1955
- Xander BogaertsAruban professional baseball player (born 1992)
- Xander MobusAmerican voice actorborn 1992
- Xander HoutkoopDutch footballerborn 1989
- Xander DierckxBelgian association football playerborn 2009
- Xander ZayasPuerto Rican professional boxerborn 2002
- Xander KetrzynskiCanadian volleyball playerborn 2000
- Xander SkinnerNamibian swimmerborn 1998
Characters named Xander: Xander Harris (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Xander, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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