seven reflections
Login
Alexandra Name Meaning, Origins & History

Alexandra

Pronunciation: al-ig-ZAN-druh

Meaning Helper and defender of man Origin Ancient Greek Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#237
TREND
16
Peak Years
1993, 1994, 1992
Lowest Years
1894, 1908, 1906
Energy Archetype
Powerful & Complete

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Alexandra in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Alexandra

  • An established favorite: Alexandra held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 32 consecutive years, from 1984 through 2015.
  • More than 246 thousand babies named Alexandra: U.S. records list 246,311 babies given the name Alexandra from 1880 through 2025. Even 869 boys received the name Alexandra - about 1 boy for every 282 girls.

What Does the Name Alexandra Mean?

Alexandra is the feminine form of Alexander, a name of Greek origin meaning "defender of the people" or "protector of men." It comes from the Greek Alexandros, usually explained as a compound of alexo ("to ward off, defend") and aner (genitive andros, "man"). The feminine form adds the Greek feminine ending -a: Alexandra (Ἀλεξάνδρα).

Taken literally, the second element refers to a man or men; the familiar English meaning, "defender of the people," broadens that sense to humanity or a community. The name is not derived from the similar-sounding Alexis, which has its own Greek origin, though both relate to the same root idea of defense or help.

Alexandra Name History & Origins

The name arose in the Greek-speaking world as the feminine counterpart of Alexandros. It appears in antiquity, though less often than the masculine Alexander. In the Hellenistic period, Greek names spread through the eastern Mediterranean, and Alexandra occurs in royal and aristocratic families. One of the best-known early bearers is Salome Alexandra, a Hasmonean queen who ruled Judaea in the first century BCE; her Greek name Alexandra was used alongside her Hebrew name Shelomzion.

The name entered Christian use, especially in the Greek-speaking eastern Roman Empire. Saints named Alexandra are venerated in Eastern Orthodox and Catholic traditions. It later became common in Orthodox Slavic lands, where it appears as Aleksandra, and in other European languages as Alessandra (Italian), Alejandra (Spanish), and Alexandra (French, German, English).

In the English-speaking world, the name was borne by Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII, in the early 20th century. Common short forms include Alexa, Sandra, and Sasha; Sasha also serves as a Russian diminutive of Aleksandr.

How Popular is the Name Alexandra?

Alexandra remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1984 to 2015. Its highest annual birth count was in 1993, and people born that year turn 33 in 2026.

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.

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 Alexandra

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.

Established Favorite Girl Names

Established Girl Names: Favorites Through the Years

Explore More Lists with Name Alexandra

Most Popular Girl Names That Start with A

See List of Most Popular Girl Names Starting with A

How the Name Alexandra 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.

Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.

✦ Alexandra's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Alexandra's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
Explore Insights & Tips

Name Search