UK girl's name
Xanthe
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "yellow-haired" or "fair-haired".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Xanthe is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Xanthe popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #736, with 51 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 70 births.
This profile covers 1,238 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 73% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,256 living people in the UK are called Xanthe. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Xanthe ranked #736 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 51 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 70 girls were registered as Xanthe.
- • Xanthe ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #760 in 2022.
- • About 1,256 living people in the UK are estimated to have Xanthe as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#736
2024
Births in 2024
51
Latest year
Peak year
2010
70 births
Estimated living
1,256
2026
Meaning
What does Xanthe mean?
The name Xanthe has Greek origins, derived from the Greek word "xanthos" which means "yellow" or "golden-haired." It is believed to have been in use since ancient times, as early as the 5th century BC.
In Greek mythology, Xanthe was the name of one of the Oceanids, the three thousand daughters of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. She was also the name of a nymph who was loved by the river god Scamander.
The earliest recorded use of the name Xanthe can be found in ancient Greek literature, such as the works of Homer and Hesiod. It was a relatively uncommon name in ancient Greece, but it was used by some notable figures.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Xanthe was Xanthe of Samos, a Greek historian and philosopher who lived in the 5th century BC. She is believed to have written a history of the Lydians, although her work has been lost.
Another notable Xanthe was Xanthe of Lesbos, a Greek poet who lived in the 3rd century BC. She was part of the circle of poets and scholars associated with the Library of Alexandria and is believed to have written poetry, although none of her works have survived.
In the 17th century, the name Xanthe was used by Xanthe Jerrold, an English writer and playwright who lived from 1628 to 1685. She wrote several plays and novels, including "The Court Cupid" and "The Constant Nymph."
In the 19th century, Xanthe Fitzpatrick was an Irish poet and playwright who lived from 1859 to 1925. She wrote several plays and collections of poetry, including "The Flower of the World" and "The Pipes of Pan."
More recently, Xanthe Elphinstone was an Australian novelist and children's author who lived from 1926 to 2007. She wrote several books for children, including "The Galloping Gardeners" and "The Herd-Boy of Timbuctoo."
While the name Xanthe has Greek origins and historical references, it has remained a relatively uncommon name throughout history. However, its unique sound and meaning have made it a distinctive choice for parents seeking a name with a touch of ancient Greek heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Xanthe over time
The chart below shows babies named Xanthe registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Xanthe, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 51 births in 2024, compared with 70 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Xanthe by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Xanthe was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #884 | 204 | 5 |
| 2010s | #710 | 565 | 10 |
| 2000s | #823 | 392 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1077 | 77 | 4 |
Geography
Where Xanthe is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Xanthe. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Xanthe ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #760 in 2022.
Across the UK
Xanthe in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#760 in 2022
7 years of NRS records, 24 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Xanthe
-
Xanthe Elbrick
actor; photographer; stage actor; voice actor; television actor
British actress
1978-
-
Xanthe Ryder
athlete
British alpine skier
1926-1998
Related
Names similar to Xanthe
- Xena 378
- Xenia 309
- Xin 285
- Xara 107
- Xyla 91
- Xia 51
- Xiao 45
- Xi 40
- Xinyi 28
- Xue 27
- Xylia 24
- Xiomara 23
FAQ
Xanthe: questions and answers
How popular is the name Xanthe in the UK right now?
In 2024, Xanthe was ranked #736 for girls in England and Wales, with 51 births registered.
When was Xanthe most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 70 babies registered as Xanthe in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Xanthe?
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "yellow-haired" or "fair-haired".
How many people are called Xanthe in the UK?
A total of 1,238 babies have been registered as Xanthe across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 24 more in Scotland.
Where is Xanthe most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Xanthe ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #760 in 2022. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.