Xola
A Xhosa name meaning "peace" or "calmness".
Name Census estimates that about 175 living Americans carry the first name Xola. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Xola today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xola births was 2022 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xola. 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
175
~ 1 in 1,958,596 Americans
Peak year
2022
33 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,128
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Xola: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Xola from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 107 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
Xola 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 Xola during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Xola
The name Xola traces its origins to the Xhosa people, an ethnic group native to the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. The Xhosa language, a Nguni Bantu language, is the source of this unique name. The name Xola is a derivative of the Xhosa word "uxolo," which translates to "peace" or "calmness."
The earliest recorded instances of the name Xola can be found in historical documents dating back to the 18th century, when the Xhosa people first encountered European colonists in the region. During this period, the name was likely given to children as a symbol of the peaceful coexistence their parents hoped for between the Xhosa and the newcomers.
One of the earliest known historical figures bearing the name Xola was Xola ka Ngqika, a prominent Xhosa chief who lived from around 1775 to 1829. He played a significant role in the Xhosa Wars against the British colonial forces, leading his people's resistance efforts to protect their land and way of life.
Another notable figure was Xola Nqeno, a Xhosa philosopher and writer who lived from 1888 to 1962. He was renowned for his works that explored the Xhosa culture and traditions, contributing to the preservation of his people's rich heritage.
In the 20th century, Xola Mlandu (1920-2003) was a prominent South African educator and activist who fought against the oppressive apartheid regime. He dedicated his life to empowering the youth through education and advocating for equal rights and opportunities.
Xola Swiya (born 1965) is a contemporary South African artist and sculptor, known for her captivating works that blend traditional Xhosa motifs with modern techniques. Her art has been exhibited internationally, celebrating the cultural richness of her heritage.
Xola Mlambo (born 1991) is a rising star in the South African music industry, renowned for his unique blend of traditional Xhosa music with contemporary genres. His music has gained widespread popularity, introducing the Xhosa culture to a global audience.
The name Xola continues to be a popular choice among the Xhosa people, carrying with it a deep cultural significance and a connection to the rich heritage of this resilient and proud community.
People
Xola + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xola 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
Xola: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xola?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 175 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xola 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 1,958,596 US residents.
Is Xola a common name?
We classify Xola as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 176 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xola most popular?
The single biggest year for Xola was 2022, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xola is about 7 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 Xola in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Xola a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Xola 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 Xola still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Xola 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 Xola 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 Xola?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.