Alex

Meaning & Origin

Meaning: Defender; Helper

Background: The name Alex originates from the Greek name 'Alexandros,' which combines 'alexein,' meaning 'to defend,' and 'aner,' meaning 'man.' This name was later adopted into Latin as 'Alexius,' retaining the same meaning related to defense.

At a glance

Quick stats based on the history of this name.

Lifetime rank
#132
Total births
294,382
Most popular decade
1990s (222,927 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-77 ranks)
Years in Top 100
33
First recorded year
1880

Gender usage

96.7% male 3.3% female

Stats by gender

Male

First year
1880
First year births
147
First year rank
#92
Peak year
1993
Peak year births
7,641
Peak rank
#52
Most recent year
2024
Recent year births
1,722
Recent rank
#205

Female

First year
1915
First year births
11
First year rank
#2,526
Peak year
1995
Peak year births
441
Peak rank
#537
Most recent year
2024
Recent year births
87
Recent rank
#2,166

Births over time

Number of babies given this name each year.

Rank over time

Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).

Related links