Fun Facts About the Name Alexa
- A favorite of earlier generations: Alexa appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 24 years. Its last run lasted 21 consecutive years, from 1998 through 2018.
- More than 131 thousand babies named Alexa: U.S. records list 131,831 babies given the name Alexa from 1880 through 2025. Even 284 boys received the name Alexa - about 1 boy for every 463 girls.
What Does the Name Alexa Mean?
Alexa is a feminine name of Greek origin, usually explained as a short form of Alexandra, the feminine form of the Greek name Alexandros. That name joins ἀλέξω (alexō), "to ward off" or "to defend," with ἀνήρ (anēr), genitive ἀνδρός (andros), "man," giving the literal sense "defender of men" or "protector of men." Alexa is also treated as a feminine form of Alexis, a Greek name built on the same verb ἀλέξω that means "helper" or "defender." Both routes draw on the same root, so the shortened name carries the same core idea of defending and protecting.
Alexa Name History & Origins
The root of Alexa goes back to the ancient Greek name Alexandros, whose feminine form Alexandra was used in the Greek world and later in the Greek-speaking Christian East. Christian tradition commemorates a Saint Alexandra, and the name stayed in use in Eastern Orthodox regions. It entered Western European naming more widely through royal families; Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII of Britain, is a familiar bearer.
Alexa developed as a shortened, familiar form of Alexandra, dropping the ending of the longer name. It is also related to Alexis, which comes from the same verb ἀλέξω (alexō), "to defend." Because both Alexandra and Alexis sit behind it, Alexa can be understood either as a diminutive of the feminine Alexandra or as a feminine use of Alexis, and it has been used as a given name in its own right alongside those longer forms.
In 2014 Amazon gave the name Alexa to its voice assistant, which made the word widely known as a product name and wake word. That commercial use is separate from the name's Greek origins.
How Popular is the Name Alexa?
Alexa recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2006. Alexa ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1994 through 1996, then returned in 1998 and remained through 2018.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,029 | 243 | 0.0151% |
| 2024 | #806 | 348 | 0.0216% |
| 2023 | #604 | 492 | 0.0307% |
| 2022 | #535 | 577 | 0.0352% |
| 2021 | #439 | 708 | 0.0432% |
| 2020 | #230 | 1,284 | 0.0795% |
| 2019 | #139 | 2,002 | 0.1193% |
| 2018 | #90 | 3,067 | 0.1804% |
| 2017 | #66 | 3,896 | 0.2257% |
| 2016 | #51 | 4,775 | 0.2695% |
| 2015 | #32 | 6,053 | 0.3392% |
| 2014 | #64 | 4,249 | 0.2379% |
| 2013 | #60 | 4,106 | 0.2340% |
| 2012 | #57 | 4,296 | 0.2440% |
| 2011 | #55 | 4,510 | 0.2564% |
| 2010 | #50 | 5,043 | 0.2837% |
| 2009 | #43 | 5,310 | 0.2891% |
| 2008 | #50 | 5,226 | 0.2764% |
| 2007 | #40 | 5,785 | 0.3009% |
| 2006 | #39 | 6,117 | 0.3218% |
| 2005 | #66 | 4,664 | 0.2524% |
| 2004 | #72 | 4,440 | 0.2418% |
| 2003 | #67 | 4,597 | 0.2516% |
| 2002 | #69 | 4,401 | 0.2449% |
| 2001 | #78 | 3,898 | 0.2165% |
| 2000 | #87 | 3,674 | 0.2023% |
| 1999 | #89 | 3,644 | 0.2054% |
| 1998 | #93 | 3,622 | 0.2050% |
| 1997 | #106 | 3,090 | 0.1775% |
| 1996 | #100 | 3,260 | 0.1860% |
| 1995 | #100 | 3,359 | 0.1910% |
| 1994 | #95 | 3,441 | 0.1927% |
| 1993 | #107 | 3,037 | 0.1679% |
| 1992 | #140 | 2,234 | 0.1212% |
| 1991 | #127 | 2,476 | 0.1321% |
| 1990 | #146 | 2,131 | 0.1122% |
| 1989 | #203 | 1,305 | 0.0708% |
| 1988 | #273 | 918 | 0.0515% |
| 1987 | #294 | 821 | 0.0472% |
| 1986 | #432 | 498 | 0.0290% |
| 1985 | #816 | 200 | 0.0116% |
| 1984 | #775 | 208 | 0.0124% |
| 1983 | #745 | 219 | 0.0131% |
| 1982 | #765 | 216 | 0.0128% |
| 1981 | #743 | 222 | 0.0133% |
| 1980 | #859 | 179 | 0.0108% |
| 1979 | #875 | 176 | 0.0110% |
| 1978 | #846 | 175 | 0.0114% |
| 1977 | #792 | 189 | 0.0123% |
| 1976 | #723 | 202 | 0.0138% |
| 1975 | #702 | 211 | 0.0145% |
| 1974 | #689 | 213 | 0.0145% |
| 1973 | #847 | 152 | 0.0104% |
| 1972 | #1,169 | 92 | 0.0060% |
| 1971 | #1,489 | 68 | 0.0041% |
| 1970 | #1,270 | 86 | 0.0049% |
| 1969 | #1,304 | 75 | 0.0044% |
| 1968 | #1,231 | 79 | 0.0048% |
| 1967 | #1,682 | 46 | 0.0028% |
| 1966 | #2,058 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 1965 | #2,250 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1964 | #2,152 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1963 | #2,017 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 1962 | #1,651 | 47 | 0.0024% |
| 1961 | #1,920 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 1960 | #1,952 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 1959 | #2,235 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1958 | #1,733 | 39 | 0.0019% |
| 1957 | #1,458 | 53 | 0.0026% |
| 1956 | #1,871 | 33 | 0.0016% |
| 1955 | #1,597 | 41 | 0.0021% |
| 1954 | #1,801 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1953 | #1,565 | 39 | 0.0021% |
| 1952 | #1,333 | 52 | 0.0028% |
| 1951 | #1,254 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 1950 | #1,495 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 1949 | #1,376 | 45 | 0.0026% |
| 1948 | #1,328 | 48 | 0.0028% |
| 1947 | #1,358 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 1946 | #1,859 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 1945 | #1,875 | 20 | 0.0015% |
| 1944 | #2,200 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1943 | #4,203 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #3,447 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1941 | #3,961 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,439 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1935 | #4,215 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1931 | #4,342 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #3,751 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #4,302 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1926 | #4,314 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #3,119 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1924 | #5,085 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1923 | #4,979 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1921 | #4,474 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1917 | #4,606 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1916 | #4,430 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | #12,109 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #10,862 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #8,850 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #12,332 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #12,271 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #6,003 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #9,679 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #9,693 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #8,791 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #9,726 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #9,900 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #6,405 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #8,198 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #8,754 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #7,118 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #3,371 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2003 | #9,616 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #9,432 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #6,026 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #7,447 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #7,163 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #8,154 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #8,001 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #3,598 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1993 | #5,011 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #7,453 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #4,765 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #5,840 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #7,943 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1988 | #5,766 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #4,585 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #6,751 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #5,582 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Alexa
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Alexa Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Alexa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Alexa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.