Unisex
Greek
2 syllables
Alex
AL-eks
/ˈæl.ɪks/
"Defender of men" — a name that has conquered continents and centuries
Alex is both a standalone name and a short form of Alexander or Alexandra, derived from the Greek Alexandros meaning defender of men. It gained universal fame through Alexander the Great, who spread Greek culture across three continents. Alex works as a given name in its own right and as a nickname, and functions easily across genders, making it one of the most versatile names in the Western world.
Quick Facts
Letters4
SyllablesAl · ex
GenderUnisex
OriginGreek
Root WordAlexandros
MeaningDefender of men
PopularityPopular
Peak Year1998
Trend
→ Stable
Name DayMay 26
Nicknames
AlLexLexie
About the Name Alex
Alex means defender of men, from the Greek Alexandros (alexein = to defend + aner = man). It is a short form of Alexander or Alexandra but is also used as a standalone name.
Alex is genuinely unisex. It works as a short form of the male Alexander or the female Alexandra and is given to both boys and girls worldwide.
Alex has been in the US top 100 for both genders for decades. It remains popular for its versatility, clean sound, and strong historical associations.
Alex James, Alex Michael, Alex Grace, and Alex Marie are all strong combinations that work for any gender.
Alexes are often seen as confident, versatile, and personable — the name has a natural energy and works in almost any context.
Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) is arguably the most famous bearer. He conquered most of the known world and spread Greek language and culture from Egypt to India.
Personality of Alex
Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Alex
Creativity
76%
Elegance
74%
Independence
84%
Intelligence
84%
Strength
84%
Warmth
80%
Famous People Named Alex
A
Alexander the Great
Macedonian king who conquered the Persian Empire and much of the known world
A
Alex Trebek
Beloved Canadian-American host of Jeopardy! for 37 years
A
Alex Morgan
American soccer player, two-time World Cup champion
Middle Names for Alex
Beautiful combinations that flow well with Alex
Alex James
Alex Ryan
Alex Michael
Alex Grace
Alex Marie
Alex Lee
Alex Scott
Alex Blake
Alex Jade
Alex Quinn
Names Similar to Alex
Similar Sound
Similar Meaning
Sibling Name Ideas
History of Alex
356 BC
Alexander the Great born; his conquests spread the name across three continents
1800
Alexander and Alex common in English-speaking countries via the Bible and history
1980
Alex gains traction as a standalone unisex name in the US
1998
Alex reaches peak popularity in the US as both a male and female name
Numerology & Symbolism of Alex
6
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
6
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
♍
Zodiac Affinity
Aries
6
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Royal Purple
💎
Lucky Stone
Amethyst
🌸
Lucky Flower
Iris
Alex Around the World
How Alex is written in different languages and scripts
أليكس
Arabic
アレックス
Japanese
Алекс
Russian
알렉스
Korean
亚历克斯
Chinese
Άλεξ
Greek
एलेक्स
Hindi
אָלֶקְס
Hebrew
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