Ximena

Ximena is a Spanish feminine form associated with Ximeno. Its origin is debated: one explanation connects it with Simon and the meaning “hearing” or “listening,” while another proposes a Basque root. Those possibilities should not be combined into a definite translation such as “listening daughter.”

Jimena is an alternative spelling, familiar from Jimena Díaz, the wife of El Cid, whose name is also written Ximena in historical accounts. The initial x usually represents a Spanish j-like sound here, rather than the ks sound English speakers may expect. An English approximation is hee-MEH-nah, though the first consonant varies by accent. Parents using the name across languages may find that pronunciation detail helpful when introducing it.