Alec

Alec - A very unique male name

Alec appeared on the charts for the first time in 1914 on position #832. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Alec and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Alec? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Alec. The baby boy name Alec was given to 176 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1011 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 8,331 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Alec peaked in popularity 32 years ago in 1994 on position 109.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Alec, 1-5?

Alec is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Alec is currently topping the baby name charts in Oklahoma at position #505 - and is the least popular in Georgia at position #1,354.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Alec is where you live.

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Alec origin and meaning

Greek — short form of Alexander

Short form of Alexander, from Greek alexein, 'to defend', and aner, 'man' — 'defender of men'

Alec began as the Scottish short form of Alexander and grew into a name in its own right. It peaked in 1995, in Alec Baldwin's leading-man era, and has fallen sharply since.

Attested etymology

Alec is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Alec, pop culture references for the name Alec and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Alec

We've found the following names that sound similar to Alec, sorted by popularity.

Alex / Alexis / Alijah / Aloysius / Alek / Alessio / Alois / Alexi / Alika / Alakai /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Alec

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Alec a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Alec?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

AL-ek · /ˈælɪk/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Aleck — Older k-ending variant.
• Alek — Transliteration-style spelling, a separate entry.

Famous bearers

• Alec Baldwin — American actor, known for 30 Rock and a long film career (b. 1958) Contemporary
• Alec Guinness — English actor, Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars (1914–2000) Contemporary

Style

Short formClassic

Why parents choose it

Alec offers Alexander's strength in two brisk syllables with no nickname needed. It is much less used than in the 1990s.

Worth knowing

• 'Smart alec' is a set phrase — some children will hear it.
• Alex is the more familiar short form, so Alec can be heard as Alex.