Every Boy Name

Boy's name

Alex

Say it AL-iks 2 syllables

Greek · from Alexander, “to defend + man”

Loved in Catalonia. Common in Italy, Poland, Ireland, and 2 more places. Rare across France, the UK, three Canadian provinces, and 13 more places.

1 in 185 boys born in Ireland in 2025. Number 37 there.

Alex in every place

Rank, count and share in all 40 places: loved in 1, common in 5, rare in 20.
Alex in every place we hold figures for
Place Rankyear Boysshare 5 years earlier
British Isles
England and Wales207 (down)20252431 in 1,1191082020
Scotland178 (down)2025231 in 8541152020
Northern Ireland159 (down)2025141 in 592842020
Ireland37 (down)20251281 in 185212020
North America
Ontario (province)264 (down)202451about 1 in 1,1742042019
Quebec (province)192 (down)202528about 1 in 1,0371092020
British Columbia (province)399 (down)20238about 1 in 1,6272192018
Nova Scotia (province)Not in the published top 212025Not listed2020
Oceania
New South Wales (state)Not in the published top 1002025Not listed2020
Victoria (state)Not in the published top 1012025Not listed2020
Queensland (state)Not in the published top 1012025Not listed2020
South Australia (state)Not in the published top 1002025Not listed2020
New ZealandNot in the published top 1002025Not listed2020
Western Europe
France321 (down)20251601 in 1,8922532020
Netherlands166 (down)2025100about 1 in 6651292020
Central Europe
Austria275 (down)2025211 in 1,8131422020
Switzerland134 (down)2025541 in 6671022020
Berlin (city)169 (up)202321about 1 in 7391872018
Munich (city)175 (down)20257about 1 in 6241422020
Cologne (city)270 (down)20234about 1 in 1,5942462018
Bonn (city)397 (down)20251about 1 in 3,1702422020
Leipzig (city)389 (down)20251about 1 in 2,8762832020
Rostock (city)172 (up)20251about 1 in 1,0472122020
Nordic countries
Norway259 (down)2025151 in 1,5521792020
Sweden238 (down)202537about 1 in 1,1661312020
DenmarkNot in the published top 502025Not listed2020
FinlandNot in the published top 502025No list2020
IcelandNot in the published top 102025No list2020
Southern Europe
Spain23 (down)20241,182202019
Catalonia (region) (as Àlex)8 (down)20253011 in 6962020
Italy75 (down)20244201 in 451642019
Central and Eastern Europe
Poland88 (up)20251981 in 638892020
Hungary37 (up)2025297402020
Slovenia118 (down)202516about 1 in 452872020
EstoniaNot in the published top 272025Not listed2020
Moscow (city)Not in the published top 612025Not listed2020
CroatiaNot in the published top 502025No list2020
Middle East
TurkeyNot in the published top 302025Not listed2020
IsraelRare: below the complete list20246482019
Latin America
ArgentinaNot in the published top 202024Not listed2019

Germany publishes no national list; the German rows are city registers. About: the publisher leaves out its smallest names, so the share is approximate. ▲ and ▼ compare the rank with five years earlier. Not listed five years earlier: not in that year’s list. No list: the place published no list that year. How these figures are computed.

About the name

As a clipping of Alexander, Alex goes back to the Greek Aléxandros. The meaning comes from Alexander, built from words for 'to defend' and 'man'. It can also come from Alexius, which shares the same first element.

2 more paragraphs

It has two syllables, AL-iks, and a crisp, modern sound. The accented Àlex is also used, and related names include Alexander, Aleks, Alexis and Alexandre.

Alex is popular in Catalonia, Spain and Hungary. In English-speaking countries it is more moderate, found in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland. French records put its peak around 2001, and it is now falling in most of the places that record it.

Meaning, origin and how to say it

Say it
AL-iks · 2 syllables · Stress on beat 1 of 2.
Meaning
from Alexander, “to defend + man”
Origin
Greek
Spellings counted
Counted together with Alex here: Àlex.
Related names
Alexander, Aleks, Alexis, Alexandre, Alexandros, Alekos, Alexios, Alexs, Alexi, Alexandr, Allick
Where Alex comes from (Wiktionary)

Clipping of Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros) 'he who wards off men', i.e. protector, possibly of Hittite origin. Also from Alexius, from the same Ancient Greek first element, "helping, defending". These two origins of Alex are indistinguishable in most languages.

Shortened from the Wiktionary entry for Alex. Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Alex over time

Rising in 1 of the 22 regions we can compare over five years, falling in 15. Peak in France: 2001.

Rank in England and Wales, 1996 to 2025

Alex in England and Wales: #43 in 1996, a peak of #42 in 2002, and #207 in 2025.

#1#10#50#100#300200020052010201520202025Top 101996: #43, 1,762 boys1997: #43, 1,747 boys1998: #46, 1,627 boys1999: #45, 1,567 boys2000: #48, 1,427 boys2001: #45, 1,435 boys2002: #42, 1,707 boys2003: #42, 1,689 boys2004: #46, 1,500 boys2005: #53, 1,302 boys2006: #57, 1,293 boys2007: #58, 1,355 boys2008: #47, 1,611 boys2009: #50, 1,478 boys2010: #52, 1,359 boys2011: #59, 1,129 boys2012: #65, 1,064 boys2013: #65, 986 boys2014: #75, 903 boys2015: #75, 900 boys2016: #84, 813 boys2017: #92, 716 boys2018: #91, 696 boys2019: #106, 594 boys2020: #108, 560 boys2021: #122, 474 boys2022: #139, 394 boys2023: #152, 346 boys2024: #171, 295 boys2025: #207, 243 boys#43 in 1996peak #42, 2002#207in 2025
Show the numbers
YearRankBoys
1996431,762
1997431,747
1998461,627
1999451,567
2000481,427
2001451,435
2002421,707
2003421,689
2004461,500
2005531,302
2006571,293
2007581,355
2008471,611
2009501,478
2010521,359
2011591,129
2012651,064
201365986
201475903
201575900
201684813
201792716
201891696
2019106594
2020108560
2021122474
2022139394
2023152346
2024171295
2025207243

Source: Office for National Statistics (OGL v3)

The long view: in France

Half of the boys named Alex in France since 1925 were born in or after 1997. Peak: 2001, about 289 per 100,000 boys. Babies per 100,000 boys, five-year periods.

1925-1929: 10.9 per 100,000 boys1930-1934: 12.4 per 100,000 boys1935-1939: 22.5 per 100,000 boys1940-1944: 34.7 per 100,000 boys19401945-1949: 47.9 per 100,000 boys1950-1954: 72.9 per 100,000 boys1955-1959: 71.4 per 100,000 boys1960-1964: 72.6 per 100,000 boys19601965-1969: 59.7 per 100,000 boys1970-1974: 44.1 per 100,000 boys1975-1979: 29.2 per 100,000 boys1980-1984: 26.5 per 100,000 boys19801985-1989: 52.9 per 100,000 boys1990-1994: 137.2 per 100,000 boys1995-1999: 234.4 per 100,000 boys2000-2004: 239.7 per 100,000 boys20002005-2009: 153.4 per 100,000 boys2010-2014: 121.8 per 100,000 boys2015-2019: 96 per 100,000 boys2020-2024: 62.4 per 100,000 boys20202025: 52.9 per 100,000 boys20252000-2004: about 1 in 417 boys
Show the numbers
YearsPer 100,000 boys
1925–192910.9
1930–193412.4
1935–193922.5
1940–194434.7
1945–194947.9
1950–195472.9
1955–195971.4
1960–196472.6
1965–196959.7
1970–197444.1
1975–197929.2
1980–198426.5
1985–198952.9
1990–1994137.2
1995–1999234.4
2000–2004239.7
2005–2009153.4
2010–2014121.8
2015–201996
2020–202462.4
202552.9

Source: INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (Licence Ouverte / Etalab 2.0). Dark bar: the period holding the median birth year.

Brothers and middle names for Alex

Brother names

Names that rose and fell with Alex, from the same generation, with no clashing sounds.

  1. 1 in 25, Poland

  2. 1 in 290, Poland

  3. 1 in 62, Poland

  4. 1 in 379, England and Wales

  5. 1 in 240, Norway

  6. 1 in 354, England and Wales

  7. 1 in 128, Austria

  8. 1 in 206, France

  9. 1 in 66, Poland

  10. 1 in 819, England and Wales

All 40 brother names for Alex

Middle names

Scored for rhythm against Alex's 2 syllables and for long, steady use.

  1. 1 in 86, England and Wales

  2. 1 in 103, England and Wales

  3. 1 in 62, Poland

  4. 1 in 137, Scotland

  5. 1 in 50, Ireland

  6. 1 in 224, Northern Ireland

  7. 1 in 61, Northern Ireland

  8. 1 in 409, Ireland

Full-name check

Alex Oliver

Syllables 2-3Initials A.O.No sound clashes between the parts.

All 40 middle names for Alex

Sisters for Alex: Helena, Sara, Lena, and 5 more
  1. HelenaRose and fell with Alex · Same generation as Alex
  2. SaraRose and fell with Alex · Greek, like Alex
  3. LenaRose and fell with Alex · As common as Alex
  4. ElenaRose and fell with Alex · As common as Alex
  5. LuciaRose and fell with Alex · Same generation as Alex
  6. IrisRose and fell with Alex · As common as Alex
  7. LauraRose and fell with Alex · Same generation as Alex
  8. AliceRose and fell with Alex · Same generation as Alex · Same initial as Alex

Girls' names from the same engine, over the girls' lists of the same publishers.

Moved with Alex

The boy names whose popularity rose and fell most like Alex's across every region and decade we hold.

  1. Common across France, the UK, Italy, and 25 more places.

  2. Common across the UK, Italy, Poland, and 19 more places.

  3. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 18 more places.

  4. Common in England and Wales, Italy, Poland, and 22 more places.

  5. Common across the UK, Italy, Poland, and 23 more places.

  6. Rare across the UK, Italy, Poland, and 14 more places.

  7. Common in England and Wales, Italy, Poland, and 17 more places.

  8. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 8 more places.

Famous people named Alex

Alex Ferguson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and 6 more

From Wikidata, ranked by how many Wikipedia language editions have an article on them. People: Wikidata (CC0). Links go to Wikipedia in this page's language when an article exists, else English.

Questions about Alex

How popular is Alex in Ireland?

Alex ranked #37 in Ireland in 2025, given to 128 boys, about 1 in 185.

Is Alex rising in popularity?

Not overall: it is falling in more places than it is rising. Rising in 1 of the 22 regions we can compare over five years, falling in 15. Rising in: Rostock.

What does Alex mean?

Alex comes from Alexander, which means “to defend + man”, according to Wiktionary.

How many syllables does Alex have?

Alex has 2 syllables: AL-iks.

Every rank and count on this page comes from an official birth register. How these figures are computed.

Meanings, origins and people: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikidata (CC0).

The 42 birth registers behind these figures

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Kept names collect here.

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