Alexei

Alexei - A very unique male name

Alexei appeared on the charts for the first time in 1968 on position #1566. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Alexei and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Alexei? 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 Alexei. The baby boy name Alexei was given to 11 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3000 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 133,299 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Alexei peaked in popularity 58 years ago in 1968 on position 1566.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Alexei, 1-5?

Alexei is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Alexei is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #2,217 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,590.

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 Alexei is where you live.

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Alexei origin and meaning

Russian — form of Alexios

The Russian form of the Greek name Alexios, from alexein, 'to defend', and Alexios's root Alex — 'defender'

Alexei is the classic Russian form of Alexis, borne by tsareviches and, in modern times, by opposition leader Alexei Navalny. In the American data it appears from 1968, peaking in 2001, and is used mainly in Russian-heritage and internationally minded families.

Attested etymology

Alexei is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

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

Similar to Alexei

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

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

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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 Alexei

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 Alexei 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 Alexei?

3 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

ah-lek-SAY · /əˈlɛkseɪ/

Around the world

• Aleksei (Russian) — The direct transliteration of the Russian form, of which Alexei is the conventional English spelling

Spellings and nicknames

• Aleksei — The transliterated spelling, also in the data
• Alexis — The Greek-derived form used in English — a separate established name
• Alexi — A shortened spelling

Nicknames: Alex

Famous bearers

• Alexei Navalny — Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption campaigner who died in prison in 2024 (1976–2024) Contemporary

Style

InternationalClassicRoyal

Why parents choose it

Alexei has a lyrical, literary Russian elegance quite different from Alex. Families choose it for heritage or for its Tolstoy-and-tragedy resonance.

Worth knowing

• Americans vary between ah-lek-SAY and ah-LEK-see, and many will shorten it to Alex whatever the family intends.