NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Xia

A Chinese gender-neutral given name meaning "sublime" or "soaring.".

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.

Xia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Xia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3318, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 8 births.

This profile covers 51 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 88% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 51 living people in the UK are called Xia. 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

  • Xia ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2017, when 8 girls were registered as Xia.
  • About 51 living people in the UK are estimated to have Xia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3318

2024

Births in 2024

7

Latest year

Peak year

2017

8 births

Estimated living

51

2026

Meaning

What does Xia mean?

The name Xia is believed to have originated in ancient China, where it was closely associated with the Xia Dynasty, one of the earliest dynasties in Chinese history. The Xia Dynasty is thought to have ruled from around the 21st to the 16th century BCE, although the exact dates are still debated by historians.

The name Xia is derived from the Chinese character 夏, which means "summer" or "great." This character was used to represent the Xia Dynasty, and it is believed that the dynasty was named after the Xia tribe or clan, which was a dominant group during that time period.

In ancient Chinese texts, such as the "Shiji" (Records of the Grand Historian) by Sima Qian, the Xia Dynasty is described as a pivotal period in Chinese civilization, during which the foundations of the country's culture and society were laid. The name Xia is closely associated with this era and is considered one of the most historically significant names in Chinese history.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Xia was Yu the Great, also known as Da Yu or Xia Yu, who is believed to have lived around the 21st century BCE. According to legend, Yu was a renowned leader who gained fame for his efforts in controlling the floods that plagued ancient China. He is often credited as the founder of the Xia Dynasty.

Another notable figure with the name Xia was Xia Gui, a Chinese philosopher and politician who lived during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE). Xia Gui was known for his expertise in the study of the "Yi Jing" (Book of Changes) and his contributions to the development of Confucian thought.

In the field of literature, one of the most famous individuals with the name Xia was Xia Yuanji, a renowned poet and scholar who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE). Xia Yuanji's poetry was highly regarded for its elegance and depth, and she is considered one of the greatest female poets in Chinese history.

Moving forward in time, Xia Minghan was a prominent Chinese painter who lived during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Xia Minghan was known for his intricate and detailed landscape paintings, which were widely celebrated for their beauty and technical mastery.

Finally, Xia Gui was a Chinese mathematician and astronomer who lived during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). Xia Gui made significant contributions to the development of Chinese mathematics and astronomy, and his works were highly influential in the field of science during that time period.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Xia, a name that has deep roots in Chinese culture and holds a significant place in the country's rich heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Xia over time

The chart below shows babies named Xia registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 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 Xia, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Xia
02468199820112024

Decades

Xia by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Xia 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 #4494 10 2
2010s #4666 23 5
2000s #4567 15 4
1990s #3848 3 1

Related

Names similar to Xia

FAQ

Xia: questions and answers

How popular is the name Xia in the UK right now?

In 2024, Xia was ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.

When was Xia most popular?

The peak year on record was 2017, with 8 babies registered as Xia in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Xia?

A Chinese gender-neutral given name meaning "sublime" or "soaring.".

How many people are called Xia in the UK?

A total of 51 babies have been registered as Xia across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.