What does Orion mean?
Orion is the great hunter of Greek myth, set among the stars as a constellation.
What does Xander mean?
Xander is a short form of Alexander, “defender of the people.”
Orion vs Xander
Which is more popular?
Xander is more popular than Orion today: about 1,335 US babies were given the name Xander in 2025, compared with 1,012 named Orion.
| Orion | Xander | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Hunter | Defender of the people |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | oh-RY-un | ZAN-der |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1990 |
| Peak year | 2018 (1,152) | 2017 (2,414) |
| In 2025 | 1,012 | 1,335 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Orion
Xander
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Orion | Xander |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6,039 | 10,693 |
| 2010s | 8,595 | 19,317 |
| 2000s | 4,367 | 9,909 |
| 1990s | 1,852 | 362 |
| 1980s | 733 | 0 |
| 1970s | 500 | 0 |
| 1960s | 82 | 0 |
| 1950s | 84 | 0 |
| 1940s | 121 | 0 |
| 1930s | 154 | 0 |
| 1920s | 281 | 0 |
| 1910s | 192 | 0 |
| 1900s | 37 | 0 |
| 1890s | 49 | 0 |
| 1880s | 34 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Orion or Xander more popular?
Xander is more popular than Orion today: about 1,335 US babies were given the name Xander in 2025, compared with 1,012 named Orion.
What is the difference between Orion and Xander?
Orion means Hunter (Greek origin), while Xander means Defender of the people (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Orion or Xander?
In US records, Orion first appears in 1880 and Xander in 1990, so Orion has the longer recorded history.