Xan
Literal root meaning: “to defend + man”
About the name Xan
Xan is a boy name with Ancient Greek roots, literally “to defend + man”. It is related to Alexander, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a unique, short & sweet feel. Fewer than 5 US babies of either sex received it in 2025, so it's very rare right now. Its peak year since 1940 was 2007. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Xan were boys.
Etymology
A diminutive of Alexander, which comes from Ancient Greek, meaning “to defend” + “man”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Xan”, “Alexander”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- Not ranked
- In 2015
- Not ranked
- Babies in 2025
- Under 5
Popularity of Xan, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Xan
Xan is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Xan
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.