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Baby names

Do you know/have you met anyone called Xan?

74 replies

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 24/11/2021 18:16

I'm considering this name for my DS - I like that it's short and simple but uncommon (and as a bonus kind of cool sounding, at least according to Nameberry Grin). Does anyone know one? If so do they like it or have any issues with their name that you know of?

The "Xan" for Xanax nn thing doesn't really bother me (since we are in the UK and rarely travel to the US) and he would be Alexander on the birth certificate for CV purposes or if he wanted a change when older anyway.

Thanks for your help Flowers.

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BarryTheKestrel · 24/11/2021 18:19

I know a Xan, short for Xander. He was christened Xander but that is also short for Alexander. He's late 30s and for his age its pretty unique. I know a young Xander too who often gets shorted to Xan/Xand.

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ArblemarchTFruitbat · 24/11/2021 18:20

No, never heard of it. I prefer Alex as a shortening for Alexander.

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TeenMinusTests · 24/11/2021 18:20

I think Alexander is a lovely name, and if you want to shorten it to Xan for day to day use then that's fine, provided you accept he may want to use a different shortening when he grows up.

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IsThisNameTaken · 24/11/2021 18:22

I know one who is 14, I like it.

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Lunificent · 24/11/2021 18:24

Remember Tyne Daly from Cagney and Lacey. Her youngest daughter is called Xan. Her full name is Alyxandra.

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MakkaPakkas · 24/11/2021 18:24

There's a Dr Xander on TV

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GreyhoundG1rl · 24/11/2021 19:37

Far too try hard.

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Carboncheque · 24/11/2021 19:40

Yes. She’s a Xanthe.

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MerryMarigold · 24/11/2021 19:43

I know a Xander. That's his name not nickname. Xan by itself somehow looks Chinese to me!

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Bobbybobbins · 24/11/2021 19:47

Personally would go for Alexander then Xan could be a nickname (or Xander or Alex)

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urbanbuddha · 24/11/2021 19:54

There's Xan Brooks.

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toomuchlaundry · 24/11/2021 19:55

How do you pronounce it?

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IamnotwhouthinkIam · 24/11/2021 20:12

Thanks all for your help - really interesting/good to see that a few people have met one and there doesn't seem to be any issues Flowers.

The unisex thing doesn't really matter I suppose (after all popular Sam, Danny, Alex etc are nn's used for both sexes too), and I'm not sure the "try hard" thing does either - as people seem to say that on these boards about a lot of names that aren't commonplace (I expect similar would have been said about "Xander" itself before Buffy made it more popular!).

Btw Alexander works well but Alex doesn't sound great with our surname (which ends in X), but I'd have no issue if he preferred it when older - he'd just be introduced by us as Xan Surname from birth until/unless he objected otherwise!

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IamnotwhouthinkIam · 24/11/2021 20:14

Sorry, missed last comment - pronounced "Zan" as most people say "Al -ee- zan- der" where we live, not "Al -ee- zarn- der".

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IamnotwhouthinkIam · 24/11/2021 20:15

I also think that pronunciation blends in more with all the Sam's, Dan's etc of his peers, despite being an uncommon name.

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MrsColon · 24/11/2021 20:16

It's a lovely nickname, just put something longer on his birth certificate in case he isn't keen later on and wants something more conventional.

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CoffeeRunner · 24/11/2021 20:17

I know one. They are Chinese.

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PenelopeVonDelius · 24/11/2021 20:18

I think it's a perfectly fine nn for Alexander! Go for it.

I know a little Xander, Alexander on his bc. He gets Xanzy and Xan sometimes. Also Zanzibar. He's a cutie!

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HollowTalk · 24/11/2021 20:21

I know a Xavi (pronounced Zavi) - it's short for Xavier.

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NellieBertram · 24/11/2021 20:23

I know a Xan, a Zan and a Xan-short-for-Xander - all school age but all in different schools/areas.

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LoveComesQuickly · 24/11/2021 20:24

I know a Xian - he's Chinese.

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IamnotwhouthinkIam · 24/11/2021 20:31

Thank you all Smile . I had thought of "Zandy" as a cutesy, private nn for him as a toddler but "Zanzibar" is one I hadn't thought of! Grin

Yes, I think it is a Chinese name too - but all most of the baby name books/sites list it as a nn for Alexander/Alexandra, so I assume it's fairly well known as both.

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IamnotwhouthinkIam · 24/11/2021 20:35

Wow @NellieBertram - guess it's not nearly as uncommon as I thought! At least that means he's unlikely to have any teasing about having a "weird" or "try hard" etc name, so that's a big reassurance.

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Nearlytheretrees · 24/11/2021 20:35

I know a 15 year old xan, as far as I know it's just xan no long birth certificate name

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IslaInthesun · 24/11/2021 20:36

I know a few but they're Xanthe.

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