Fun Facts About the Name Xela
- 370 babies named Xela: U.S. records list 370 babies given the name Xela from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Xela Mean?
Xela is a Galician feminine name meaning "messenger of God," the sense carried by the name it shortens, Angela. It is an affectionate short form of Anxela, the Galician form of Angela, made by dropping the opening syllable of the longer name.
The name behind it is Latin Angela, a feminine form built on angelus, which comes from Greek angelos, literally "messenger." Christian use gave the word its fuller sense of a heavenly messenger, and the name has traditionally carried that sense. The literal Greek meaning is simply "messenger"; "messenger of God" is the customary Christian reading rather than a word-for-word translation.
Xela Name History & Origins
Xela is used in Galicia, in northwest Spain, where the letter x stands for the "sh" sound. Galician keeps Anxela as the full form of Angela, and Xela is the familiar form of that name. The written x is not an English-style "ks" or "z"; it represents the same "sh" sound found in other Galician names such as Xoán and Xosé.
The name spread through the Christian veneration of saints named Angela, whose names were adapted into Galician and then shortened in everyday speech. In Galician naming practice, a saint's name often has both a formal form for records and a shorter, warmer form for daily use, and Xela is the short partner of Anxela.
The same spelling names a place: Xela is the everyday name of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala's second-largest city. That nickname shortens the K'iche' Maya name Xelajú, often explained as xe, "under," plus lajuj, "ten," though the exact sense of the ten is uncertain. The place nickname and the Galician personal name are unrelated.
How Popular is the Name Xela?
Xela has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #3,696 in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,979 | 27 | 0.0017% |
| 2024 | #5,412 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 2023 | #4,446 | 32 | 0.0020% |
| 2022 | #3,696 | 42 | 0.0026% |
| 2021 | #4,407 | 32 | 0.0020% |
| 2020 | #8,922 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #7,319 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2018 | #5,996 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2017 | #7,079 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2016 | #11,730 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #10,824 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #10,102 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #8,555 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2012 | #10,393 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #12,107 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #14,873 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #7,049 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2008 | #10,775 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #17,536 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #19,081 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #12,369 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #13,110 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #9,457 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #15,812 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #15,701 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Xela Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You like to help others, but sometimes you take on too much and sacrifices are difficult to bear. You might be called upon to make so many emotional adjustments that find yourself in a state of constant turmoil. At the best, you might be exalted leader. You have good ability to observe and be resourceful in times of trouble. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Xela's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Xela's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.