Xander
/ˈzæn.dər/noun
A masculine given name, commonly used as a shortened form of Alexander.
Did you know?Xander is a modern shortening of Alexander, the name associated with Alexander the Great, whose conquests helped spread the Greek name across the ancient world.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ner-
“Man or male human; the remote ancestor of the Greek element later appearing in Alexander.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Aléxandros
“Defender or protector of men, formed from alexein, “to ward off,” and anēr, “man.””
4th Century BCE
Greek
Aléxandros
“The personal name borne by Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
Alexander
“The Latin form of the Greek personal name, used throughout Christian Europe.”
Medieval English
English
Alexander
“A masculine personal name adopted into English through medieval naming traditions.”
20th Century
English
Xander
“A clipped form of Alexander that became established as an independent given name.”