Alexander
Alexander is a boys' name of Greek origin meaning “defender of men.” It ranked #6 in the United States in 2025. From the Greek Alexandros, composed of 'alexein' (to defend) and 'aner' (man).
how do you pronounce Alexander?
al-eg-ZAN-der
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Alexander mean?
The name Alexander means “defender of men.” It comes from the Greek language tradition.
From the Greek Alexandros, composed of 'alexein' (to defend) and 'aner' (man). The name spread throughout the ancient world following the conquests of Alexander the Great of Macedon in the 4th century BCE, and remains one of the most enduring names in Western civilization.
where does the name Alexander come from?
From the Greek Ἀλέξανδρος, combining alexein, meaning to defend or ward off, with anēr, genitive andros, meaning man. It reads as defender of men, and unusually for an ancient name the parsing is transparent and undisputed.
the history of Alexander
The name predates its most famous bearer considerably: Homer calls Paris of Troy Alexandros, and a form of it appears in Hittite records as Alaksandu. Alexander the Great then spread it from Greece to the Punjab, and it was subsequently taken by eight popes, three Russian tsars and three Scottish kings.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2024 | #6 |
| 2023 | #7 |
| 2022 | #7 |
| 2021 | #7 |
| 2020 | #7 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Alexander?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Alexander?
- Alexander the Great (Macedonian king)
- Alexander Hamilton (Founding Father)
- Alexander Graham Bell (inventor)
- Alexander McQueen (fashion designer)
what names are similar to Alexander?
what names go well with Alexander?
Sibling names that share Alexander's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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