The first name Alexandra
A girl’s name from Greek meaning “to defend”, “man”, “the man who repels [enemies]”.
Pronounced /ˌæ.lɪɡˈzæn.dɹə/ 4 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Alexandra means “to defend”, “man”, “the man who repels [enemies]” in Greek.
From Ancient Greek Ἀλεξάνδρα (Alexándra), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-, stem of ἀνήρ (anḗr, “man”)). Feminine form of Alexander (“the man who repels [enemies]”). The community in Prince Edward Island is named after Queen Alexandra (1844–1925).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 202 girls were named Alexandra, making it the 231st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 1,595 births (#38).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Alexandra with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Alexandra at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,314 girls born in the United States were named Alexandra, the 237th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1993, when 10,683 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.
Alexandra in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Alexandra in Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Icelandic, Latin, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Alexandra
- Xan
- Xandra
Other spellings and forms
- Xandria
- Alandra
Famous people named Alexandra
149 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Alexandra DaddarioAmerican actress (born 1986)
- Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse)Empress consort of Russia (1872–1918)
- Ingrid Alexandra, Crown Princess of NorwayCrown Princess of Norway, born 2004
- Alexandra David-NéelFrench explorer, spiritualist, Buddhist, Taoist, anarchist and writer, 1868–1969
- Alexandra Maria LaraGerman actress, born 1978
- Alexandra PoppGerman association football player, born 1991
- Alexandra BreckenridgeAmerican actress, born 1982
- Alexandra ShippAmerican actress and singer, born 1991
- Alexandra Manley, Countess of FrederiksborgEx-wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, born 1964
- Alexandra BurkeBritish singer and songwriter, born 1988
- Alexandra PaulAmerican actress, born 1963
- Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and GothaFourth child and third daughter of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Grand Duches, 1878–1942
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Alexandra mean?
- Alexandra means “to defend”, “man”, “the man who repels [enemies]” in Greek.
- What is the origin of the name Alexandra?
- From Ancient Greek Ἀλεξάνδρα (Alexándra), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-, stem of ἀνήρ (anḗr, “man”)). Feminine form of Alexander (“the man who repels [enemies]”). The community in Prince Edward Island is named after Queen Alexandra (1844–1925).
- How popular is the name Alexandra?
- In 2025, 202 girls born in England and Wales were named Alexandra, ranking 231st. Its peak was 1996, with 1,595 births.
- What are nicknames for Alexandra?
- Common nicknames for Alexandra include Xan, Xandra.
- Is Alexandra a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 246,320 US babies named Alexandra since 1880 were girls.
- When was Alexandra most popular?
- 1993 in the United States, when 10,683 babies were named Alexandra, its highest rank at 28th.
- How do you pronounce Alexandra?
- Alexandra is /ˌæ.lɪɡˈzæn.dɹə/, 4 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Alexandra?
- Xandria and Alandra.