Xenia
A feminine given name of Ancient Greek origin meaning "hospitality" or "welcome guest".
Name Census estimates that about 2,579 living Americans carry the first name Xenia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Xenia today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xenia births was 2022 (75 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xenia. 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
2.6K
~ 1 in 132,902 Americans
Peak year
2022
75 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,374
Tracked since 1894
Popularity
Xenia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Xenia from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 608 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Xenia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Xenia 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 Xenia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Xenias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Xenia, while North Carolina, Illinois, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 151 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Xenia
The name Xenia has its origins in Greek culture, deriving from the ancient Greek word "xenia," which means hospitality or generosity to those far from home. It was a concept deeply ingrained in Greek society, where welcoming and providing for strangers and travelers was considered a sacred duty.
In Greek mythology, Xenia was also the name of a goddess associated with hospitality and the protection of strangers. This divine connection further reinforced the name's significance and elevated its meaning within the ancient Greek world.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Xenia can be found in Homer's epic poem, the Odyssey, where it is mentioned in the context of hospitality and the obligations of hosts and guests. This literary reference underscores the name's ancient roots and its association with timeless virtues.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Xenia. One such example is Saint Xenia of St. Petersburg (c. 1719-1806), a revered Russian Orthodox saint known for her profound humility and charitable works. Her unwavering faith and compassion towards the poor and downtrodden have made her a beloved figure in Russian Orthodox Christianity.
Another prominent figure is Xenia of Russia (1875-1960), a Russian Grand Duchess who lived through the tumultuous years of the Russian Revolution. Despite the upheaval, she remained steadfast in her commitment to charitable causes and her support for the arts and education.
In the realm of literature, Xenia Field (1897-1959) was an acclaimed British poet and author whose works explored themes of spirituality and the natural world. Her poetic voice earned her recognition and acclaim during her lifetime.
Moving to the arts, Xenia Hausner (born 1951) is an Austrian painter renowned for her thought-provoking and often unsettling depictions of human figures and their interactions with their surroundings. Her works have been exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums around the world.
Lastly, Xenia Ghali (born 1987) is a Greek singer and songwriter who has gained popularity for her unique blend of traditional Greek music with contemporary elements. Her music celebrates her cultural heritage while pushing musical boundaries, resonating with audiences across generations.
These individuals, spanning different eras and fields, exemplify the diverse expressions and interpretations of the name Xenia throughout history, each embodying aspects of its underlying meaning of hospitality, generosity, and a commitment to serving others.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Xenia
People
Xenia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xenia 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
Xenia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xenia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,579 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xenia 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 132,902 US residents.
Is Xenia a common name?
We classify Xenia as "Rare". It ranks above 94.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,878 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xenia most popular?
The single biggest year for Xenia was 2022, when 75 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xenia is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Xenia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Xenia 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.