The first name Xerxes
A boy’s name meaning “ruler among kings”.
Pronounced /ˈzɝksiːz/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Xerxes means “ruler among kings”.
From Ancient Greek Ξέρξης (Xérxēs), from Old Persian 𐎧𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎠 (x-š-y-a-r-š-a /Xšayāršā/, “ruler among kings”). Doublet of Ahasuerus.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 4 boys were named Xerxes, making it the 4,275th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2006, with 4 births (#3,385).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Xerxes with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Xerxes at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 17 boys born in the United States were named Xerxes, the 5,593rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2018, when 21 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Xerxes in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Famous people named Xerxes
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Xerxes IFifth Achaemenid emperor (486–465 BC)
Questions
- What does the name Xerxes mean?
- Xerxes means “ruler among kings”.
- How popular is the name Xerxes?
- In 2025, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Xerxes, ranking 4,275th. Its peak was 2006, with 4 births.
- Is Xerxes a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 304 US babies named Xerxes since 1880 were boys.
- When was Xerxes most popular?
- 2018 in the United States, when 21 babies were named Xerxes, its highest rank at 4,729th.
- How do you pronounce Xerxes?
- Xerxes is /ˈzɝksiːz/, 2 syllables.