This list covers 10 old fashioned boy names, running alphabetically from “Xavier” to “Xylander”. These names share deep roots in Greek, Persian, Spanish, and Basque history, and most were once used as formal, dignified given names rather than everyday choices. Parents today often look to them for a distinctive first name that still carries a sense of tradition and gravity.

Old fashioned boy names are given names that trace back centuries, often tied to mythology, royalty, or notable historical figures. Many were revived over time by classically minded parents seeking something uncommon yet meaningful. Xerxes, for instance, recalls the ancient Persian kings whose stories have echoed through literature for generations.

Below you’ll find the table with the name, origin, meaning, and description of each one.

Name: the specific old fashioned boy name, listed here in alphabetical order so you can browse the full set easily.

Origin: the language or culture the name comes from, helping you understand its historical and geographic background.

Meaning: the literal translation or sense behind the name, useful if you want a name with a specific symbolic value.

Description: background on how the name was used historically, including notable figures or stories connected to it.

Old fashioned boy names

NameOriginMeaning
XavierBasque/Spanish“New house” or “bright”
XerxesPersian (Greek form)“Ruler over heroes”
XenophonGreek“Foreign voice”
XanthusGreek“Golden” or “yellow-haired”
XanthippusGreek“Yellow horse”
XiménezSpanish (medieval)“Son of Simon”
XimunBasqueBasque form of “Simon”
XenosGreek“Stranger” or “guest”
XylonGreek“Of the forest” or “wood”
XylanderGreek/German“Man of the forest”

Descriptions

Xavier
An old Spanish and Basque name popularized by Saint Francis Xavier in the 16th century, long used as a formal, dignified given name.
Xerxes
The name of ancient Persian kings, including Xerxes I, brought into Western use through classical history and literature.
Xenophon
An ancient Greek name borne by the historian and soldier Xenophon, occasionally revived by classically minded parents in earlier centuries.
Xanthus
A name from Greek mythology, notably one of Achilles’ immortal horses, used historically as a scholarly, classical given name.
Xanthippus
An ancient Athenian name, most famously borne by the father of Pericles, reflecting old Greek naming traditions.
Ximénez
A medieval Spanish name and surname root, derived from Simon, occasionally used as a formal old-fashioned first name.
Ximun
A traditional Basque rendering of Simon, used in old Basque-speaking communities as a given name.
Xenos
An old Greek name reflecting the concept of hospitality toward strangers, rarely used but historically documented.
Xylon
A rare old Greek-derived name tied to nature, occasionally found in classical name records.
Xylander
An old scholarly name, notably borne by the 16th-century German classicist Wilhelm Xylander, blending Greek roots with Latinized form.
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