The nameAlex

Meaning

Alex comes from Alexander, from the Greek alexein, "to defend", and anēr, "man": "defender of men".

Origin

Greek. Alex became a name in its own right in the 20th century.

History

Alex is used in nearly every European language. It was in the American top 50 for boys in the 1990s and 2000s.

Famous people named Alex

• Alex Ferguson, football manager
• Alex Honnold, climber
• Alex Morgan, footballer
• Alex Turner, singer

Popularity of the name Alex

Alex in the United States

Alex was most popular in the United States in the 1990s, with 74,309 births over the decade, 25% of all recorded babies named Alex. Its rise began around 1915, and it peaked in 1993. Half of all babies named Alex in the United States were born before 1994. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 2,052 births a year on average, against 2,874 in the five years before.

Alex in the United Kingdom

Alex was most popular in the United Kingdom in the 2000s, with 18,479 births over the decade, 48% of all recorded babies named Alex. Half of all babies named Alex in the United Kingdom were born before 2007, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 430 births a year on average, against 829 in the five years before.

Alex in Ireland

Alex in France

Alex in Belgium

Alex in Switzerland

Alex in Austria

Alex in Norway