The first name Alex
A boy’s name from Greek meaning “helping”, “defending”.
Pronounced /ˈæl.ɪks/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Alex means “helping”, “defending” in Greek.
Clipping of Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros) 'he who wards off men', i.e. protector, possibly of Hittite origin. Also from Alexius, from the same Ancient Greek first element, "helping, defending". These two origins of Alex are indistinguishable in most languages. The female name has the same root, a clipping of Alexandra or the female name Alexis, in some cases also a spelling variant of Alix.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 243 boys were named Alex, making it the 207th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 1,762 births (#43).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Alex with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Alex at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,515 boys born in the United States were named Alex, the 232nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1993, when 7,639 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Allex
Famous people named Alex
348 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Alex MorganAmerican soccer player, born 1989
- Alex Oxlade-ChamberlainEnglish association football player (born 1993)
- Alex SandroBrazilian footballer (born 1991)
- Alex JonesAmerican far-right conspiracy theorist (born 1974)
- Alex Rodrigo Dias da CostaBrazilian footballer, born 1982
- Alex BrosqueAustralian soccer player, born 1983
- Alex TellesBrazilian association football player, born 1992
- Alex RoccoAmerican actor (1936–2015)
- Alex de MinaurAustralian tennis player, born 1999
- Alex D. LinzAmerican actor, born 1989
- Alex HonnoldAmerican professional mountaineer and extreme climber, born 1985
- Alex HirschAmerican voice actor, animator, writer, storyboard artist, and producer, born 1985
More Greek boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Alex mean?
- Alex means “helping”, “defending” in Greek.
- What is the origin of the name Alex?
- Clipping of Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros) 'he who wards off men', i.e. protector, possibly of Hittite origin. Also from Alexius, from the same Ancient Greek first element, "helping, defending". These two origins of Alex are indistinguishable in most languages. The female…
- How popular is the name Alex?
- In 2025, 243 boys born in England and Wales were named Alex, ranking 207th. Its peak was 1996, with 1,762 births.
- Is Alex a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 97% of the 295,991 US babies named Alex since 1880 were boys.
- When was Alex most popular?
- 1993 in the United States, when 7,639 babies were named Alex, its highest rank at 52nd.
- How do you pronounce Alex?
- Alex is /ˈæl.ɪks/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Alex?
- Allex.
- Is Alex also a surname?
- Yes. Alex is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.