Paris of Troy was known for being able to wield off thieves who were coming after cattle and who were walking away from the herd. He actually was able to bring the herd back to the shepherds and the farmers who had lost the cattle from the thieves or other circumstances. He was known for also being outstandingly beautiful and strong in his nature, which is why he had earned such strong respect from these farm people. They were actually the people who granted him the name Alexander as he was literally known for protecting others, with the definition “protector of men.” If you're considering naming your baby “Alexander,” a most noble name choice, here are some more interesting facts to know.
Meaning and Origin of the name Alexander:
Alexander is a strong boy's name of Greek origin meaning “defender,” “protector of men,” or “warrior.”
The origin of the baby name Alexander was originally from the Greek name Alexandros. This original name meant the “defender of men,” and the name rose in popularity due to the famous Grecian king named Alexander the Great. He was king of Macedonia during the 4th century B.C. When broken down, the name Alexandros had two parts, alexo (meaning “defend”) and aner (meaning “man”). The name Alexander has also risen in popularity due to its prevalence in the New Testament. It has since been used as a name for other boys born into royalty primarily in Scotland for their future kingship, by popes, and even by Russian rulers.
Symbolism of the name Alexander:
The name Alexander was given to a hero that was better known as Paris of Troy. This may have even been why Alexander the Great was given the name that he had in Grecian history as the legend goes that the goddess Hera gave it to him. Alexander the Great was famous for how large of an empire he was able to build, and there were many legends based on him, which is why the name Alexander began to spread throughout Europe.
Nicknames for the name Alexander:
Alexander is one of those names that has a long list of nicknames. We put together a list of popular nicknames for Alexander to help you choose the right one for your baby boy. Alex is the most popular nickname. There are several nicknames that aren't as common if you want a more unique nickname.
Style of the name Alexander:
The style of the name Alexander is very classical as it is based on ancient Grecian traditions.
Gender of the name Alexander:
The gender of the name Alexander is primarily male, though rarely, the name Alexander is used for females. With this in mind, technically the gender is M/F.
Pronunciation of the name Alexander:
AL-eg-ZAN-der.
Number of syllables in the name Alexander:
Four
Emotion evoked from the name Alexander:
When thinking of the name Alexander, you immediately feel a sense of strength and power. There may even be a bit of pride that is released in the name.
Alternative spellings for Alexander:
A few of these alternative spellings are purely cultural, such as the fact that Alejandro is the Spanish version. Alternative spellings include:
- Aleksander
- Alsander
- Alejandro
- Alessandro
- Alexzander
- Alecksander
- Aleckzander
- Allexander.
Popularity of the name Alexander:
The name Alexander jumped to be one of the most popular in the 1990s. In the year 1993 specifically, the name was used by close to 1% of new baby boys. It has remained on the top 20 list since the year 1994 though. In the year 2018 alone, the name was number 11 on the list. In the year 2020, however, the name was ranked as number 16 overall.
Related Names for Alexander:
Related names to Alexander include Aleksius, Aleks, Alejo, Alec, Alexis, Aydyn, Jaxstin, Xavier, Nathaniel, Magnus, Xander, Matthias, Zander, Constantine, Alasdair, Alastair, Axel, Alder, Baxter, Lester, Ryder, and more.
Great middle names for Alexander and their meanings:
- Bennett (blessed)
- Caleb (faithful, devotion, whole-hearted, brave, bold)
- David (beloved)
- Drake (dragon, serpent)
- Elias (Jehovah is God)
- Finn (fair or white)
- Flynn (descendent of the red-haired man)
- George (farmer)
- Harrison (son of Harry)
- Isaac (laughter)
- Joseph (Jehovan increases)
- Liam (strong-willed warrior, protector)
- Louis (renowned warrior)
- Matthew (gift of Yahweh)
- Nathan (He has given, He will give)
- Noah (rest, peace)
- Owen (young warrior, well-born, noble)
- Phillip (lover of horses)
- Ryan (little king, wisdom, descendent of Rian)
- Theodore (divine gift, God-given)
Famous people with the name Alexander:
- Alexander Skarsgard (Swedish actor in True Blood and Zoolander)
- Alexander Hamilton (American politician, military commander from the 1700s)
- Alexander Turner (English singer and songwriter, Arctic Monkeys)
- Alexander(“A-Rod,” American baseball player in the MLB, shortstop, third baseman)
- Alexander Pettyfer (British actor, Alex Rider on Stormbreaker, British model)
- Alexander van Halen (Drummer, cofounder of Van Halen)
- Alexander Galchenyuk (American NFL player, Montreal Canadiens)
- Alexander Smith (NFL player, Washington Redskins)
- Alexander Fleming (Scottish biologist and pharmacologist)
- Alexander Chilton (Singer, songwriter, guitar player, The Box Tops, Big Star)
Alexanders in movies/pop culture:
- AlexanderJr. is better known as Lex Luthor in the DC Universe, specifically in the Superman comics.
- Alexander Mahone is the name of a character in the television show Prison Break.
- Alexander Hartdegen is the main character in the movie and the book The Time Machine.
- Alexander Pierce is a character from the movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
- Alexander Falko is a character in the popular movie called MouseHunt.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Tomsickova Tatyana/Shutterstock.com.