Xenya
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "foreign" or "strange".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Xenya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Xenya today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xenya births was 1995 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xenya. 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 Xenya. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1995
5 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
1995 SSA rank
#15,702
Tracked since 1995
Popularity
Xenya: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Xenya 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 Xenya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0 | 5 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Xenya
The name Xenya has its origins in the Greek language and culture, with its earliest recorded use dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek word "xenos," which means "stranger" or "foreigner." This linguistic connection suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were perceived as outsiders or travelers from foreign lands.
In ancient Greek mythology, there are references to characters bearing names similar to Xenya, such as Xenia, the personification of hospitality. This association with hospitality and welcoming strangers adds a layer of symbolism to the name's meaning.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Xenya can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC. He mentioned a woman named Xenya in his accounts of the Persian Wars.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Xenya. One such figure was Xenya Terekhova (1932-2018), a renowned Russian actress who gained fame for her roles in Soviet cinema during the 1960s and 1970s. She was honored with numerous awards, including the prestigious People's Artist of the USSR in 1984.
Another prominent figure was Xenya Achmatova (1889-1966), a celebrated Russian poet and writer who is regarded as one of the most influential voices in 20th-century Russian literature. Her poetic works, which often explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition, have been widely studied and translated into numerous languages.
In the realm of science, Xenya Borysova (1927-2003) was a prominent Ukrainian mathematician and logician. She made significant contributions to the field of mathematical logic and authored several influential publications throughout her career.
Xenya Evdokimova (1944-2022) was a Russian painter and artist known for her vibrant and expressive works that captured the essence of Russian culture and traditions. Her paintings have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, earning her international recognition.
Xenya Naumova (1926-2013) was a notable Russian ballerina and choreographer. She performed with the Bolshoi Ballet and later became a renowned teacher, passing on her knowledge and passion for dance to generations of students.
While the name Xenya has its roots in ancient Greek culture, it has been embraced and adapted by various other cultures and languages over the centuries, becoming a part of their respective naming traditions and histories.
People
Xenya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xenya 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
Xenya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xenya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xenya 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Xenya a common name?
We classify Xenya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xenya most popular?
The single biggest year for Xenya was 1995, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xenya is about 30 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 Xenya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Xenya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Xenya 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 Xenya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Xenya 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 Xenya 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 are named Xenya?
Find out how many Americans are named Xenya on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.