Boy
Greek / Scottish
2 syllables
Alec
AL-ek
/ˈæl.ɪk/
"Defender of the people" — a sharp, sophisticated short form with Alexander's world-conquering legacy
Alec is a Scottish and English short form of Alexander, the Greek name meaning defender of the people, from alexein meaning to defend and aner meaning man. It has a crisp, confident quality that feels both classic and modern. The name was popularized in English-speaking culture by actors Alec Guinness and Alec Baldwin, and retains an air of understated sophistication.
Quick Facts
Letters4
SyllablesAl · ec
GenderBoy
OriginGreek / Scottish
Root WordAlexandros
MeaningDefender of the people
PopularityUncommon
Peak Year1997
Trend
→ Stable
Name DayApril 23
Nicknames
AlAlecoLex
About the Name Alec
Alec means defender of the people, as a short form of Alexander from the Greek alexein (to defend) and aner (man).
Alec originated in Scotland as an informal short form of Alexander.
Alec is in moderate use in the United States, carrying a sharp, classic quality without being overly common.
Alec James, Alec Thomas, and Alec Reid are confident and naturally flowing combinations.
Alecs are often seen as sharp, witty, and quietly confident with an intellectual, understated charisma.
Alec and Alex are the most common short forms. Aleck is an older spelling. All are variants of Alexander.
Personality of Alec
Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Alec
Creativity
76%
Elegance
80%
Independence
84%
Intelligence
84%
Strength
80%
Warmth
74%
Famous People Named Alec
A
Alec Baldwin
American actor and comedian known for 30 Rock and numerous films
A
Alec Guinness
British actor who played Obi-Wan Kenobi and won an Oscar for The Bridge on the River Kwai
A
Alec Benjamin
American singer-songwriter known for his emotionally resonant pop music
Middle Names for Alec
Beautiful combinations that flow well with Alec
Alec James
Alec Thomas
Alec Michael
Alec Reid
Alec Scott
Alec Grant
Alec Blake
Alec Cole
Alec Ryan
Alec David
Names Similar to Alec
Similar Sound
Similar Meaning
Sibling Name Ideas
History of Alec
356 BC
Alexander the Great born, making Alexandros one of history's most powerful names
1500
Alec develops in Scotland as a short form of Alexander
1957
Alec Guinness wins the Academy Award for Best Actor, raising the name's prestige
1997
Alec reaches peak popularity in the United States
Numerology & Symbolism of Alec
3
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
6
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
♍
Zodiac Affinity
Gemini
3
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Charcoal
💎
Lucky Stone
Onyx
🌸
Lucky Flower
Lily of the Valley
Alec Around the World
How Alec is written in different languages and scripts
أليك
Arabic
アレック
Japanese
Алек
Russian
알렉
Korean
阿莱克
Chinese
Άλεκ
Greek
एलेक
Hindi
אלק
Hebrew
Looking for Name Ideas?
Explore our name inspiration guides