Given name

Xena

“one who is hospitable; welcoming”

In English use, Xena has a related form in Xenia. One Greek interpretation is “one who is hospitable; welcoming.”

Meaning & origin

What it means

In English use, Xena has a related form in Xenia. One Greek interpretation is “one who is hospitable; welcoming.”

Explained through its name family

Where it comes from

In English use, Xena has a related form in Xenia. An origin associated with Xenia is Greek.

Explained through its name family

How it developed

In English usage, Xena developed from Xenia. In English usage, Xena developed from Ξενία.

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1992. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Xena through the years

Babies since 1880
3,513
0 boys · 3,513 girls
Most popular year
1996
279 babies
2025
177
#1,270 for girls
2021–25 vs 2016–20
+22%
Rising
05010015020020002025Highest share 1996110
Xena in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1992–2025, per million girls born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

Where it’s given

Most at home inWisconsin, Missouri, Arizona
FewerMore, relative to births Not published
2025 births by state of birth. Tiles are equal-sized so small states stay visible. Highest rates: Wisconsin (6), Missouri (6), Arizona (7), Pennsylvania (11), Washington (5).

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 177 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,270 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 21.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 279 in 1996. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (27). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,024 as a first name in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Xena’s family of names

In English usage, Xena developed from the Latin form Xenia. In English usage, Xena has a conventional equivalent in the Greek form Ζήνα. In English usage, Xena has a related form in Xenia.

Walk Xena’s family in the name graph

XenaXenahKsenaXeniaXennaZenaKseniaKsenijaKsenjaКсенияКсенаXéniaΞενίαΖήναЗи́на제나ジーナक्षेनזינהزِينَا

Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Around the world

Xena has relatives in 11 languages.

RussianKorean

10 related names in 11 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.

Each dot marks where a language is rooted, not where people with the name live today. Bigger dots hold more names. Dots on the border stand for languages further away. Language locations from Glottolog (CC BY 4.0); map from Natural Earth.

Nicknames & forms 2

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Spellings & scripts 2

The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.

See also 1

Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.

People named Xena

Characters named Xena: Xena (the TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess").

Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.

Similar names

If you love Xena, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Irish · Modern

Kiana

“from an ancient family” · “of an ancient family”

54UncommonRising

>99% girls

American · Modern

Essence

“a perfumed woman”

47UncommonRising

1% boys · 99% girls

Modern

Kianna

“of an ancient family”

43UncommonRising

>99% girls

Gaelic · Modern

McKenna

“the son of Kenna; to ascend”

62FamiliarEasing

>99% girls

Hebrew · Modern

Kerena

“horn of eye-paint”

0Not recently recorded

>99% girls

Hebrew · Modern

Mikaela

“who is like God?”

49UncommonEasing

>99% girls

Modern

Chyenna

0Not recently recorded

>99% girls

Modern

Dariana

47UncommonRising

>99% girls

Sibling ideas

Names that share Xena’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Xena