Alexander

At a Glance

Meaning

One who defends or protects men

Origin

Ancient Greek

Gender

Boy

Pronunciation

al-ig-ZAN-derListen

Alexander is an Ancient Greek name meaning 'one who defends or protects men.' You'll sometimes see it defined as 'defender of the people' or even 'bearer of Christ' — the second is a mix-up with the unrelated name Christopher, and the first loosely stretches the name's actual root, andr- (man/men). It's pronounced al-ig-ZAN-der, and carries a timeless, classic, vintage feel.

Meaning & Origin of Alexander

Meaning: One who defends or protects men.

Origin: Ancient Greek.

A common claim: Alexander is widely claimed to mean 'defender of the people,' and is occasionally said to mean 'bearer of Christ.' Actually: 'Bearer of Christ' is a mix-up with the unrelated name Christopher; and 'defender of the people' loosely broadens the literal root andr- (man/men) — the precise meaning is 'defender of men.'

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Alexander

Popularity of Alexander

Alexander ranked #27 in 2024 with 7,517 babies given the name, down from its peak of #4 in 2009 when 18,253 boys were named Alexander — SSA has tracked it since 1880.

Names Like Alexander

These names share Alexander’s style, era or origin.

• Dennis
• Myron
• Barbara
• Delia
• Demetria
• Eugene

FAQ

What does the name Alexander mean?

One who defends or protects men. (Source: Wiktionary)

How do you pronounce Alexander?

Alexander is pronounced al-ig-ZAN-der (IPA: /ælɪɡˈzændər/).

Is Alexander a popular name right now?

Alexander peaked at #4 in 2009 and is ranked #27 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

Make Alexander Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Alexander, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.