Alex

Alex - A very unique male name

Alex appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #117. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Alex and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Alex? 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 Alex. The baby boy name Alex was given to 1,493 baby boys in 2025, ranking #233 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 982 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Alex peaked in popularity 31 years ago in 1995 on position 47.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Alex, 1-5?

Alex is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Alex is currently topping the baby name charts in Rhode Island at position #141 - and is the least popular in Utah at position #475.

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 Alex is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Alex origin and meaning

Short form of Alexander, from Greek

"Defender of men" — Alexander, from alexein, "to defend," and aner, "man"

Alex is Alexander's short form standing on its own, in use since the data begins in 1910. As a standalone boys' name it peaked in 1993 and has fallen since, even as Alexander itself remains near the top — parents increasingly choose the long form and shorten it informally.

Attested etymology

Alex is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Alex

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

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

---

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 Alex

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 Alex 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 Alex?

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.

---

Pronunciation

AL-eks · /ˈæləks/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Alek — A spelling variant with a k

Nicknames: Al

Famous bearers

• Alex Rodriguez — Baseball star, fourteen-time All-Star and 2009 World Series champion (b. 1975) Contemporary
• Alex Turner — Singer and guitarist of Arctic Monkeys (b. 1986) Contemporary
• Alex Trebek — Longtime host of Jeopardy!; born George Alexander Trebek and known throughout his career as Alex (1940–2020) Contemporary

Style

Short formClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Alex for its clean, friendly efficiency — a name that needs no explanation in any country or classroom.

Worth knowing

• Many will assume Alex is short for Alexander and ask what the 'full name' is.
• Alex is heavily used for girls too (and as a short form of Alexandra and Alexis), so it is genuinely unisex now.