Xella
A feminine given name derived from the Greek word "xellos" meaning "golden".
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Xella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Xella today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xella births was 2017 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xella. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Xella. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
2017
5 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2022 SSA rank
#17,628
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Xella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Xella from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 10 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Xella remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Xella 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 Xella 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 Xella
The name Xella originated from the ancient Etruscan civilization, which flourished in what is now modern-day Italy between the 8th and 3rd centuries BC. It is derived from the Etruscan word "xel," meaning "blessed" or "divine." The name's earliest known usage dates back to around the 6th century BC, during the height of the Etruscan culture.
In Etruscan mythology, Xella was the name of a minor goddess associated with fertility and childbirth. Her name was often invoked during rituals and ceremonies related to these aspects of life. While not a major deity in the Etruscan pantheon, Xella held significance in the daily lives of the Etruscan people.
The name Xella can be found in several ancient Etruscan inscriptions and artworks, including pottery and frescoes. One notable example is a terracotta votive statue from the 5th century BC depicting a woman, possibly a priestess, with the name "Xella" inscribed on the base.
Throughout history, there have been a few notable individuals who bore the name Xella. One of the earliest recorded was Xella of Volsinii, a priestess who lived in the 4th century BC and was renowned for her expertise in interpreting the flights of birds, a significant aspect of Etruscan religious practices.
In the 2nd century AD, during the height of the Roman Empire, there was a famous actress named Xella Fabia who performed in various theaters across Italy. She was particularly acclaimed for her portrayal of tragic roles and was said to have moved audiences to tears with her emotional performances.
In the 12th century, Xella da Siena was a notable Italian physician and scholar. She studied medicine and philosophy at the University of Salerno, one of the earliest institutions of higher learning in Europe. Xella's writings on medical treatises and herbal remedies were widely circulated and influential during her time.
During the Renaissance period, Xella Albizzi was a prominent figure in Florence, Italy. Born in 1436, she was a member of the powerful Albizzi family and played a significant role in the city's cultural and political life. Xella was a patron of the arts and hosted salons where renowned artists, writers, and thinkers gathered to discuss their works.
In the 19th century, Xella Mariani was an Italian opera singer and composer. Born in 1835, she gained recognition for her performances in various opera houses throughout Europe. Xella also composed several operas and vocal works, contributing to the rich musical heritage of her time.
People
Xella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xella 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
Xella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xella 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 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Xella a common name?
We classify Xella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xella most popular?
The single biggest year for Xella was 2017, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xella is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Xella in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Xella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Xella 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.
Is Xella still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Xella in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Xella can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Xella as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.