Alexander Boy

Popularity: #30 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: al-ig-ZAN-der /ælɪgˈzændər/

Origin: Greek; Latin

Meaning: Greek: defender of the people; Latin: protector

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Alexander is derived from the Greek name Alexandros, which is composed of the elements "alexein," meaning "to defend," and "aner," meaning "man." This etymological foundation suggests a meaning of "defender of men." The name entered the English language through Latin, where it was adopted as Alexander, and subsequently through Old French during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century. The name has been used in various forms across different cultures, including the feminine variant Alexandra, which has gained prominence in various languages and regions.

Historically, the name Alexander is most famously associated with Alexander the Great (356–323 BCE), the King of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. His conquests and the subsequent spread of Hellenistic culture contributed significantly to the name's enduring legacy.

Additionally, the name appears in various historical texts, including the Bible, where it is mentioned in the New Testament, specifically in the Acts of the Apostles. The name has been borne by numerous saints and monarchs throughout history, further solidifying its significance.

Culturally, the name Alexander has been associated with qualities of strength, leadership, and valor, which have contributed to its lasting appeal. In literature and art, figures named Alexander often embody heroic traits, reinforcing the name's association with nobility and courage.

The feminine form, Alexandra, has also been embraced in various cultures, often symbolizing grace and strength. The name's historical resonance and its connection to influential figures have ensured its continued relevance across different societies.

Famous people named Alexander

In this section, you will find notable people named Alexander. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Alexander who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Alexander who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Alexander Graham Bell is an inventor best known for inventing the telephone, founding the Bell Telephone Company, and his work in communication technology.

Alexander Skarsgård is an actor best known for his roles in True Blood, Big Little Lies, and The Northman.

Alexander Dumas is a novelist best known for writing The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Man in the Iron Mask.

Alexander McQueen is a fashion designer best known for his innovative designs, theatrical runway shows, and founding the Alexander McQueen fashion label.

Alexander Payne is a filmmaker best known for directing Sideways, The Descendants, and Nebraska.

Alexander Ovechkin is a professional ice hockey player best known for playing for the Washington Capitals, winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, and being an NHL All-Star.

Alexander Wang is a fashion designer best known for his eponymous label, his work with Balenciaga, and his modern streetwear aesthetic.

Alexander Popov is a swimmer best known for winning multiple Olympic gold medals and setting world records in freestyle events.

Alexander Rybak is a musician and singer best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Fairytale' and for his work as a violinist and composer.

Fictional characters named Alexander

The following list of fictional characters named Alexander is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Alexander Hamilton is a fictional character from the musical Hamilton. He is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and serves as the first Secretary of the Treasury.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Alexander, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

IsabellaGabriellaJulianaVictoriaSamanthaOlivia

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Alexander. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

AlexisAlanaAlyssaAlexaAllegraArianaAnastasiaAmelia

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Alexander was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Alexander has ranked as high as #29 nationally, which occurred in 1993, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Alexander has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Alexander is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Alexander was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Alexander.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 7,244 7,230 14
2024 7,557 7,547 10
2023 7,929 7,918 11
2022 8,768 8,757 11
2021 9,446 9,425 21
2020 10,277 10,268 9
2019 11,350 11,327 23
2018 12,130 12,110 20
2017 12,598 12,577 21
2016 13,464 13,446 18
2015 14,606 14,584 22
2014 15,482 15,449 33
2013 14,953 14,923 30
2012 15,287 15,259 28
2011 15,751 15,717 34
2010 16,813 16,769 44
2009 18,288 18,254 34
2008 18,755 18,711 44
2007 18,189 18,150 39
2006 18,287 18,235 52
2005 18,193 18,130 63
2004 18,040 17,925 115
2003 17,769 17,714 55
2002 17,802 17,718 84
2001 16,770 16,720 50
2000 17,354 17,290 64
1999 17,516 17,420 96
1998 17,548 17,466 82
1997 17,192 17,112 80
1996 18,056 17,964 92
1995 19,599 19,456 143
1994 20,265 20,101 164
1993 20,708 20,530 178
1992 20,278 20,069 209
1991 17,834 17,640 194
1990 16,417 16,194 223
1989 14,760 14,523 237
1988 13,672 13,341 331
1987 12,051 11,835 216
1986 10,816 10,609 207
1985 8,442 8,295 147
1984 6,611 6,492 119
1983 4,884 4,806 78
1982 4,676 4,593 83
1981 4,295 4,237 58
1980 3,331 3,279 52
1979 3,093 3,058 35
1978 2,774 2,738 36
1977 2,735 2,704 31
1976 2,476 2,443 33
1975 2,468 2,439 29
1974 2,394 2,354 40
1973 2,290 2,259 31
1972 2,132 2,116 16
1971 2,378 2,358 20
1970 2,480 2,463 17
1969 2,034 2,012 22
1968 1,789 1,773 16
1967 1,464 1,454 10
1966 1,376 1,368 8
1965 1,331 1,321 10
1964 1,298 1,288 10
1963 1,313 1,308 5
1962 1,227 1,218 9
1961 1,235 1,227 8
1960 1,212 1,199 13
1959 1,175 1,166 9
1958 1,197 1,188 9
1957 1,271 1,264 7
1956 1,235 1,235 0
1955 1,177 1,170 7
1954 1,236 1,236 0
1953 1,267 1,262 5
1952 1,291 1,283 8
1951 1,212 1,212 0
1950 1,171 1,164 7
1949 1,190 1,185 5
1948 1,129 1,129 0
1947 1,081 1,081 0
1946 972 964 8
1945 896 891 5
1944 864 864 0
1943 924 924 0
1942 861 861 0
1941 818 818 0
1940 760 760 0
1939 723 723 0
1938 673 666 7
1937 675 675 0
1936 618 613 5
1935 702 702 0
1934 622 616 6
1933 659 659 0
1932 781 774 7
1931 795 795 0
1930 877 872 5
1929 995 985 10
1928 1,056 1,048 8
1927 1,102 1,092 10
1926 1,150 1,150 0
1925 1,230 1,224 6
1924 1,386 1,381 5
1923 1,299 1,293 6
1922 1,359 1,359 0
1921 1,533 1,533 0
1920 1,481 1,474 7
1919 1,429 1,422 7
1918 1,598 1,591 7
1917 1,669 1,664 5
1916 1,593 1,584 9
1915 1,443 1,432 11
1914 1,176 1,169 7
1913 942 937 5
1912 803 803 0
1911 426 426 0
1910 324 324 0
1909 260 255 5
1908 246 246 0
1907 279 279 0
1906 204 204 0
1905 210 210 0
1904 203 203 0
1903 195 195 0
1902 216 216 0
1901 162 162 0
1900 260 260 0
1899 178 178 0
1898 180 180 0
1897 172 172 0
1896 232 232 0
1895 199 199 0
1894 199 199 0
1893 218 218 0
1892 202 202 0
1891 172 172 0
1890 202 202 0
1889 185 185 0
1888 237 237 0
1887 180 180 0
1886 206 206 0
1885 205 205 0
1884 236 236 0
1883 187 187 0
1882 225 225 0
1881 209 209 0
1880 211 211 0

Top States for Alexander (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 1,185
16%
TX 885
12%
FL 531
7%
NY 474
6%
IL 291
4%
PA 248
3%
OH 235
3%
AZ 215
3%
NJ 212
3%
NC 211
3%
GA 206
3%
VA 198
3%
WA 197
3%
MI 194
3%
IN 174
2%
MA 143
2%
TN 139
2%
CO 124
2%
MO 116
2%
MD 112
1%
SC 97
1%
OK 95
1%
UT 92
1%
CT 91
1%
WI 89
1%
AL 81
1%
KY 81
1%
LA 77
1%
MN 77
1%
NV 72
1%
OR 71
1%
KS 60
1%
IA 49
1%
AR 40
1%
NM 39
1%
RI 34
0%
ID 33
0%
NE 33
0%
MS 26
0%
NH 25
0%
WV 23
0%
DE 23
0%
DC 20
0%
HI 18
0%
ME 17
0%
AK 15
0%
WY 13
0%
VT 12
0%
SD 9
0%
MT 8
0%
ND 7
0%