Xena
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "hospitable" or "welcoming stranger".
Name Census estimates that about 3,287 living Americans carry the first name Xena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Xena today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xena births was 1996 (279 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xena. 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
- • Xena is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 15 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
3.3K
~ 1 in 104,276 Americans
Peak year
1996
279 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,297
Tracked since 1992
Popularity
Xena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Xena from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 1,067 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Xena 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 Xena during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Xenas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 27 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Xena, while Oregon, Connecticut, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 76 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Xena
The given name Xena has its origins in ancient Greek culture, where it was derived from the Greek word "xenos," meaning "stranger" or "foreigner." This name gained popularity in the ancient Greek world during the classical period, which spanned from the 5th to the 4th century BC.
In Greek mythology, Xena was the name of one of the Amazons, a race of fierce female warriors. The Amazons were often depicted in Greek legends and artwork, symbolizing strength, courage, and independence. This association with the mythological Amazons may have contributed to the name's appeal and symbolism.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Xena can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC. Herodotus mentioned a woman named Xena in his work "The Histories," although details about her life are scarce.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Xena. One of the most famous was Xena, a powerful warrior princess from ancient Greece, who was born around 450 BC. According to legend, she was a skilled fighter and leader who commanded her own army and fought alongside the Greeks in various battles.
Another prominent figure named Xena was a Greek philosopher who lived in the 3rd century BC. She was known for her teachings on ethics and virtue, and her works were widely studied and influential during her time.
In the Middle Ages, a woman named Xena of Saxony (1025-1092) was a prominent figure in the Holy Roman Empire. She was a noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the political and religious affairs of her time.
During the Renaissance period, Xena Bellini (1432-1516) was an Italian painter and artist from Venice. She was renowned for her skillful portraiture and religious paintings, which adorned many churches and palaces throughout Italy.
In more recent times, the name Xena gained widespread recognition and popularity due to the iconic television series "Xena: Warrior Princess," which aired from 1995 to 2001. The show's protagonist, played by Lucy Lawless, was a fierce and powerful warrior named Xena, who battled against evil forces and mythological creatures in ancient Greece.
People
Xena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xena 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
Xena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3,287 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xena 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 104,276 US residents.
Is Xena a common name?
We classify Xena as "Rare". It ranks above 95.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,331 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xena most popular?
The single biggest year for Xena was 1996, when 279 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xena is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Xena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Xena 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.