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At a Glance: Name: Lex – Meaning: defender of man/mankind (as short form of Alexander or Alexis) – Origin: English, short form of Alexander or Alexis (Greek) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: LEKS
Lex is the short form of Alexander or Alexis, both rooted in Greek, and it carries the meaning "defender of man" or "defender of mankind." That makes it a compact name that stands on its own while still connecting back to a longer, more traditional root if you want that option later. It's a name you can hand to a child as a complete first name, not just a nickname.
Meaning & Origin of Lex
Meaning: Defender of man/mankind (as short form of Alexander or Alexis).
Origin: English, short form of Alexander or Alexis (Greek).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Lex
Phonetic: LEKS IPA: /lɛks/
Popularity of Lex
Lex has never been a common name in SSA records going back to 1892, peaking at #913 in 1956 with 67 babies given the name. By 2024 it had drifted down to #2216, with 65 babies recorded that year — a strikingly similar count to its 1956 peak, just further down a much longer list of names.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1892–2024.
Make Lex Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Lex, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Lex mean?
Defender of man/mankind (as short form of Alexander or Alexis). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Lex)
How do you pronounce Lex?
Lex is pronounced LEKS (IPA: /lɛks/).
Is Lex a popular name right now?
Lex peaked at #913 in 1956 and is ranked #2216 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1892–2024.)
📊 How popular is Lex? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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