Xander is a name of Greek origin and it means "defending men". It is derived from the Greek name Alexander, which was formed from the elements "alexein" meaning "to defend" and "andros" meaning "man".
The name Xander first became popular in the United States during the late 20th century. It gained popularity due to its use in various forms of media, such as literature, television shows, and films.
One notable example is the character Xander Harris from the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Played by actor Nicholas Brendon, Xander was a fan favorite and helped to popularize the name even further.
Despite its popularity, Xander remains a relatively uncommon name compared to other boy names. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, it has never ranked among the top 1000 most popular boys' names since records began in 1880.
In terms of its usage around the world, Xander is more commonly used in English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is also used in some European countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
Overall, Xander is a unique and distinctive name with a strong meaning behind it. While it may not be as widely used as other boy names, its popularity has grown steadily over the years thanks to its use in popular culture.
The name Xander has seen a varying trend of popularity over the past two decades in the United States. In 2004, there were 7 newborns named Xander, indicating that it was just starting to gain traction among parents-to-be.
In 2007, the number of newborn boys given the name Xander decreased slightly to 5 births. This could suggest a minor dip in popularity during this year.
However, from 2016 onwards, there has been an upward trend in the number of babies named Xander:
* In 2016, 10 boys were named Xander.
* The following year, 2017, saw another increase with 7 births.
* This momentum continued into 2018 and 2019, with 8 and 9 newborns respectively being named Xander.
Interestingly, despite the global pandemic in 2020, the popularity of the name did not seem to be affected. In fact, it remained steady with another 7 births that year.
And most recently, in 2021, there was a significant jump in the number of newborn boys named Xander, reaching an all-time high of 10 births. This could indicate that the name has gained considerable popularity among parents in recent years.
However, it seems that this trend may have begun to level off again as the most recent data from 2023 shows a decrease back down to 5 births. It will be interesting to see if this is a temporary fluctuation or if the number of newborn boys named Xander will continue to fluctuate in the coming years.
In total, over these nine years (from 2004 to 2023), there were 68 newborn boys named Xander in the United States. This demonstrates that while it may not be one of the most popular names, Xander has consistently had a steady presence among American baby names during this period.