Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Alexander
BoyGreek· “defender of men”
- Meaning
- defender of men
- Origin
- Greek
- Pronunciation
- a-lihg-ZAN-dur
- Syllables
- 4
- US rank 2025
- #30
- US babies 2025
- 7,230
- Best rank
- #4 (2009)
- Peak year
- 1993
Meaning and origin of Alexander
Alexander is a Greek name that means “defender of men”.
Alexander comes from the Greek Alexandros, built from alexein, "to defend", and aner, "man", giving the meaning "defender of men". Its most famous bearer is Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king whose conquests stretched from Greece to India in the fourth century BC. The name also appears as another name for the Trojan prince Paris in Homer's Iliad. It was carried by three kings of Scotland, several Russian emperors and eight popes. Alexander Hamilton and Alexander Graham Bell are familiar bearers in American history. The name feels grand but not stiff, and its many nicknames, including Alex, Xander, Sasha and Lex, make it easy to wear every day.
Popularity over time
Alexander has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 146 different years. Its best national rank was #4 in 2009, and the most babies received it in 1993, when 20,530 were named Alexander. In 2025, 7,230 babies were named Alexander, and it ranked #30 nationally. That is 50% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #117 in 1920, #189 in 1950, #91 in 1980, #20 in 2000, #6 in 2010, and #30 in 2025. Of the 736,123 US boys named Alexander since records began, 25% were born in the 1990s, its biggest decade. The 2000s come next, with 178,847 babies. Since 2010, 193,306 more have been named Alexander.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Cody, Zachary, Brandon, Tyler, and Alex.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Alexander ranked highest in California, New Jersey, and New York.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| California | #16 | 1,169 |
| New Jersey | #18 | 255 |
| New York | #19 | 476 |
| Arizona | #19 | 193 |
| Florida | #21 | 526 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for boys.
Alexander is usually pronounced a-lihg-ZAN-dur, with four syllables. It has nine letters, starts with A and ends in “-er”.
Middle names for Alexander
A few middle names that flow with Alexander: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Alexander
Similar names
Alexzander Boy
al-ihg-ZAN-dur
“variant of Alexander, 'defender of the people'” · American (modern coinage)
#2,126
Peter Boy
PEE-tur
“stone” · Greek
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Demetrius Boy
dih-MEE-tree-uhs
“follower of Demeter” · Greek
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Alessandro Boy
ah-leh-SAHN-droh
“defender of men” · Italian
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Christopher Boy
KRIHS-tuh-fur
“bearing Christ” · Greek
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Nicholas Boy
NIH-kuh-luhs
“victory of the people” · Greek
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Alejandro Boy
ah-leh-HAHN-droh
“defender of men” · Spanish
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Nicolas Boy
NIH-kuh-luhs
“victory of the people” · Greek
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Darius Boy
duh-RY-uhs
“holding firm the good” · Persian
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Nikolai Boy
NIH-kuh-ly
“victory of the people” · Russian
#605
Ander Boy
AHN-dur
“manly; Basque form of Andrew” · Basque
#728
Aleksandr Boy
a-lehk-SAN-dur
“Russian form of Alexander, "defender of men"” · Russian
#2,837
Lists that include Alexander
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alexander mean?
Alexander is a Greek name that means “defender of men”.
What is the origin of the name Alexander?
Alexander has Greek roots. Alexander comes from the Greek Alexandros, built from alexein, "to defend", and aner, "man", giving the meaning "defender of men".
Is Alexander a popular name?
Yes. Alexander ranked #30 in the US in 2025, which makes it one of the 100 most popular names.
Is Alexander a boy or girl name?
Alexander is mainly a boy's name. In the US it is used almost only for boys.
How do you pronounce Alexander?
Alexander is usually pronounced a-lihg-ZAN-dur. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings