Alex is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Alex means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Alex across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Alex has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Alex is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “defender of the people”. a short form of Alexander or Alexandra.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 295,991 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 35,617 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 2,856 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 1,793 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 9,754 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 2,871 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Alex per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1993 (8,064/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (2,036/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2010 (589/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2008 (155/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2009 (123/yr).
Alex has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1993, when it ranked #88 nationally (given to 8,141 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1990s.
Alexa · Alexia · Alexi · Alix · Alexcia · Alyx · Elex · Alexie
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