Xian
A masculine name of Chinese origin meaning virtuous or immortal.
Name Census estimates that about 438 living Americans carry the first name Xian. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 80.4% of registrations being male. The average person named Xian today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xian births was 2023 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xian. 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
438
~ 1 in 782,544 Americans
Peak year
2023
26 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,149
Tracked since 1997
Gender
Gender distribution for Xian
Xian leans heavily male at 80.4% of total registrations, but 87 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Xian as a male name
- Ranked #6,149 in 2024
- 15 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (26 births)
Xian as a female name
- Ranked #16,312 in 2015
- 6 female births in 2015
- Peak: 1998 (9 births)
Popularity
Xian: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Xian from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 182 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Xian remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Xian 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 Xian during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Xians live
Origin
Meaning and history of Xian
The name Xian has its origins in Chinese culture and language. It is a romanized spelling of the Chinese character 仙, which means "immortal" or "supernatural being." This character has been in use for over 2,000 years and is deeply rooted in Chinese mythology and Taoism.
The earliest recorded use of the name Xian can be traced back to ancient Chinese literature and philosophical texts. It was often used to refer to mythical beings or deities who had attained immortality through spiritual cultivation and harmony with nature. The concept of Xian was closely tied to the Taoist pursuit of longevity and enlightenment.
One of the most famous early references to Xian is found in the classic Taoist text "Zhuangzi," written around the 4th century BCE. The book features numerous stories and allegories involving Xian, highlighting their ability to transcend the physical world and attain a higher state of existence.
Throughout Chinese history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Xian or were associated with the concept of immortality and Xian. One example is Xian Er, a legendary figure from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) who was believed to have achieved immortality through Taoist practices.
Another prominent figure is Xian Xia, a Taoist philosopher and alchemist from the 3rd century CE. He is credited with contributing to the development of Taoist alchemy and the pursuit of longevity through the cultivation of inner energy.
In the 8th century CE, there was a famous Taoist monk named Xian Zong, who was renowned for his spiritual teachings and his ability to perform miracles. He is believed to have lived for over 200 years and is still revered by Taoists today.
During the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 CE), a renowned poet and government official named Xian Xiu gained recognition for his contributions to literature and his mastery of the Chinese poetic form known as fu.
In more recent times, the name Xian has been associated with Xian Xing-hai, a Chinese composer and musician from the early 20th century who is celebrated for his efforts to modernize traditional Chinese music.
While the name Xian has its roots in ancient Chinese culture and mythology, it continues to be used in modern times, carrying with it the connotations of immortality, longevity, and spiritual enlightenment.
People
Xian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xian 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
Xian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 438 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xian 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 782,544 US residents.
Is Xian a common name?
We classify Xian as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 443 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xian most popular?
The single biggest year for Xian was 2023, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xian is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Xian a male name?
Yes, 80.4% of people registered as Xian in the SSA data are male. 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.