How to say it
ALEX
/ˈæl.ɪks/
Masculine
Alex
Defender of people
What it means
Short form of Alexander or Alexandra, from the Greek alexein ('to defend') + anēr ('man'). Now usually a standalone given name, fully unisex in current US usage.
Alex began as a short form for Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis, and other names from the Greek alexein ('to defend') + anēr ('man'). Through the 20th century it served as a nickname; in the 21st century it graduated to a standalone given name in its own right, fully unisex in current US usage. Alex Trebek (Jeopardy! host), Alex Rodriguez (the baseball player A-Rod), and Alex from A Clockwork Orange (Malcolm McDowell's character) anchor different cultural moments. The single-syllable form makes it one of the cleaner picks. Most Alexes who started as Alexander or Alexandra use Alex day-to-day; many born Alex stay full.
Popularity over time
peaked at #47 in 1995, currently #232 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Alex is itself a short form, so doesn't shorten further. Some families use the formal Alexander or Alexandra and Alex daily; others give Alex directly.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Alex Trebek Canadian-American TV host, Jeopardy! 1984-2020
- Alex Rodriguez Yankees and Mariners third baseman, three-time MVP
Spelling variants
- Alec
- Alix
Names with the same feeling
See Alex from another angle
By style