Xyla
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "made of wood".
Name Census estimates that about 1,974 living Americans carry the first name Xyla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Xyla today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Xyla births was 2024 (336 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Xyla. 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
- • Xyla is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 7 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.0K
~ 1 in 173,634 Americans
Peak year
2024
336 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#820
Tracked since 1999
Popularity
Xyla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Xyla from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 1,278 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
Xyla 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 Xyla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Xylas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 28 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Xyla, while Nebraska, Mississippi, Maryland recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 44 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Xyla
The name Xyla is believed to have its origins in ancient Greek culture, dating back to the classical period of ancient Greece. It is derived from the Greek word 'xylon,' meaning 'wood' or 'timber.' This suggests that the name may have been associated with occupations or trades involving woodworking or forestry.
While there are no specific historical references to the name Xyla in ancient texts or scriptures, it is likely that the name emerged as a feminine form of the masculine name 'Xylos,' which was more commonly used during that time period. The earliest recorded instances of the name Xyla can be traced back to the Byzantine Empire, where it was used as a personal name among Greek communities.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Xyla was Xyla of Thessalonica, a Byzantine noblewoman who lived in the 11th century. She was known for her philanthropic efforts and her support of the arts and literature during her lifetime.
Another notable figure with the name Xyla was Xyla Palaiologina, a member of the prominent Palaiologos dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. She lived in the 13th century and was known for her patronage of religious institutions and her involvement in political affairs.
In the 15th century, Xyla Notaras was a Greek noblewoman who played a significant role in the defense of Constantinople during the Ottoman siege of 1453. She is remembered for her bravery and her efforts to protect the city's inhabitants during the siege.
During the Renaissance period, Xyla Venetiana was a renowned artist and painter from Venice, Italy. Born in the late 15th century, she was celebrated for her skilled portraiture and her contributions to the Venetian Renaissance art movement.
In more recent history, Xyla Foxfire was a prominent American environmentalist and activist who lived from 1945 to 2018. She was a leader in the conservation movement and worked tirelessly to protect natural habitats and promote sustainable practices.
People
Xyla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Xyla 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
Xyla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Xyla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,974 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Xyla 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 173,634 US residents.
Is Xyla a common name?
We classify Xyla as "Rare". It ranks above 93.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,987 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Xyla most popular?
The single biggest year for Xyla was 2024, when 336 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Xyla is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Xyla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Xyla 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.