Xochil
A feminine Mexican name derived from the Nahuatl word for "flower".
Name Census estimates that about 586 living Americans carry the first name Xochil. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Xochil today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xochil births was 2008 (30 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xochil. 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
586
~ 1 in 584,905 Americans
Peak year
2008
30 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2015 SSA rank
#18,985
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Xochil: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Xochil from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 210 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Xochil 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 Xochil during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Xochils live
Origin
Meaning and history of Xochil
The name Xochil originates from the Nahuatl language, spoken by the Aztec people of Mexico. It is derived from the Nahuatl word "xochitl," which means "flower." The name can be traced back to the 14th century, during the height of the Aztec Empire.
Xochil was a common name among the Aztec nobility and was often given to daughters of high-ranking families. It was believed to symbolize beauty, fertility, and the natural world, which were revered in Aztec culture. The name was also associated with the goddess Xochiquetzal, the Aztec deity of love, beauty, and fertility.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Xochil can be found in the Codex Mendoza, a 16th-century Aztec codex that documented the history and culture of the Aztec people. In this text, Xochil is mentioned as the name of a noble woman who lived during the reign of the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Xochil. One of the most famous was Xochil Martínez (1929-2021), a Mexican actress and dancer who appeared in numerous films and television shows. Another prominent figure was Xochil Herrera (1912-1994), a Mexican painter and sculptor known for her vibrant works depicting indigenous Mexican culture.
In the realm of literature, Xochil Quetzalcoatl (1953-2008) was a renowned Mexican writer and poet who explored themes of indigenous identity and social justice in her works. Xochil Salgado (1914-1994) was a Mexican politician and activist who played a significant role in the Mexican feminist movement.
Additionally, Xochil Galvez (1918-2009) was a renowned Peruvian singer and composer who popularized traditional Andean music. Her music celebrated the rich cultural heritage of Peru and helped to preserve indigenous musical traditions.
While the name Xochil has its roots in Aztec culture, it has transcended its historical origins and has been embraced by people of various backgrounds around the world, particularly in Latin American countries. The name continues to be a symbol of beauty, nature, and cultural pride.
People
Xochil + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xochil 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
Xochil: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xochil?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 586 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xochil 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 584,905 US residents.
Is Xochil a common name?
We classify Xochil as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 607 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xochil most popular?
The single biggest year for Xochil was 2008, when 30 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xochil is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Xochil a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Xochil 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.