Alec
How to say it: AL-ik · /ˈælɪk/
Short form of Alexander, from Greek 'Alexandros' meaning 'defender of men'. Long used as independent name in Scotland.
Alec was the 789th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 234 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1990s, its births are down about 64% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,100 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #789 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 234 |
| Share of births | 1 in 11,673 |
| Peak decade | 1990s |
| Change over 10 years | −64% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,100 |
| In France, 2025 | #428 among boys’ names, 85 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
The 1990s marked the high point for Alec, now past and fading. Far below that peak, more slipping is expected.
What goes with it
Neat and compact through two syllables, blending soft and crisp notes. Colin could stand comfortably beside it.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Alec is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, English, Finnish, French, Greek, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #428 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Alec
- Alec Guinness (1914–2000)British actor
- Alec Douglas-Home (1903–1995)Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1964
- Alec Benjamin (born 1994)American singer-songwriter
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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