Xander
Meaning of Xander
Xander is a short form of Alexander, used in both Dutch and English. Alexander comes from the Greek Alexandros, meaning "defender of men." In English, Xander is pronounced ZAN-duhr, with the X sounding like a Z.
The name is familiar from Xander Harris, one of the main characters in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003). Well-known bearers include the golfer Xander Schauffele, an Olympic gold medalist who won two major championships in 2024, and the Aruban baseball player Xander Bogaerts.
Xander was rare in the U.S. until the late 1990s, then rose quickly, jumping from 542nd in 2002 to 234th in 2003. It peaked at 164th in 2017, when 2,414 babies were given the name, and has slipped since, ranking 259th in 2025 with 1,335 babies.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as ZAN-duhr (/ˈzændər/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Xander
| Xander Bogaerts is an Aruban Major League Baseball shortstop and second baseman for the San Diego Padres, formerly with the Boston Red Sox, and a member of the Netherlands national team. |
| Xander Schauffele - Alexander Victor Schauffele is an American PGA Tour golfer who won the 2017 Tour Championship, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medal, and both the 2024 PGA and Open Championships. |
| Xander Berkeley - Alexander Harper Berkeley is an American actor with over 200 credits since the 1980s, known for Terminator 2, Candyman, Air Force One, and TV roles on 24, The Booth at the End, Nikita, The Mentalist, and The Walking Dead. |
| Xander Parish is an English ballet dancer and actor who became the first British dancer to join the Mariinsky Ballet in St Petersburg. |
| Xander Lambrix is a Belgian centre-back for TOP Oss in the Eerste Divisie. |
