Alex
How to say it: AL-eks · /ˈælɛks/
Short form of Alexander/Alexandra; from Greek alexein (to defend) + aner (man): 'defender of men'.
Alex was the 251st most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,515 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1990s, its births are down about 51% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #326 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 | #251 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,515 |
| Share of births | 1 in 2,188 |
| Peak decade | 1990s |
| Change over 10 years | −51% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #326 |
| In France, 2025 | #322 among boys’ names, 160 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Popular at its height in the 1990s, Alex has since grown rarer. Now well below that peak, further slipping looks likely.
What goes with it
Compact and crisp with a breathy edge, Alex feels strong and portable. Al works as a short form and Adrian shares its style.
Middle names that flow with Alex →
Nicknames
- Al
- Lex
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Alex is about 1 in 92.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #322 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #207. Ireland: #37.
Famous people named Alex
- Alex Ferguson (born 1941)Scottish association football manager and former player
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (born 1993)English association football player
- Alex Iwobi (born 1996)Nigerian association football player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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