Xanthe
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "yellow-haired" or "fair-haired".
Name Census estimates that about 296 living Americans carry the first name Xanthe. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Xanthe today is around 29 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xanthe births was 2001 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xanthe. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
296
~ 1 in 1,157,954 Americans
Peak year
2001
12 babies that year
Average age
29
years old
2023 SSA rank
#17,473
Tracked since 1964
Popularity
Xanthe: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Xanthe from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 77 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Xanthe by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Xanthe during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Xanthe
The name Xanthe has Greek origins, derived from the Greek word "xanthos" which means "yellow" or "golden-haired." It is believed to have been in use since ancient times, as early as the 5th century BC.
In Greek mythology, Xanthe was the name of one of the Oceanids, the three thousand daughters of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. She was also the name of a nymph who was loved by the river god Scamander.
The earliest recorded use of the name Xanthe can be found in ancient Greek literature, such as the works of Homer and Hesiod. It was a relatively uncommon name in ancient Greece, but it was used by some notable figures.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Xanthe was Xanthe of Samos, a Greek historian and philosopher who lived in the 5th century BC. She is believed to have written a history of the Lydians, although her work has been lost.
Another notable Xanthe was Xanthe of Lesbos, a Greek poet who lived in the 3rd century BC. She was part of the circle of poets and scholars associated with the Library of Alexandria and is believed to have written poetry, although none of her works have survived.
In the 17th century, the name Xanthe was used by Xanthe Jerrold, an English writer and playwright who lived from 1628 to 1685. She wrote several plays and novels, including "The Court Cupid" and "The Constant Nymph."
In the 19th century, Xanthe Fitzpatrick was an Irish poet and playwright who lived from 1859 to 1925. She wrote several plays and collections of poetry, including "The Flower of the World" and "The Pipes of Pan."
More recently, Xanthe Elphinstone was an Australian novelist and children's author who lived from 1926 to 2007. She wrote several books for children, including "The Galloping Gardeners" and "The Herd-Boy of Timbuctoo."
While the name Xanthe has Greek origins and historical references, it has remained a relatively uncommon name throughout history. However, its unique sound and meaning have made it a distinctive choice for parents seeking a name with a touch of ancient Greek heritage.
People
Xanthe + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xanthe as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with X
Other first names starting with X with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Xanthe: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xanthe?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 296 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xanthe going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,157,954 US residents.
Is Xanthe a common name?
We classify Xanthe as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 309 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xanthe most popular?
The single biggest year for Xanthe was 2001, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xanthe is about 29 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Xanthe a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Xanthe in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.