Name meaning & stats
Alex
Alex means “defender of people” (Ancient Greek origin). 267,789 US babies since 1940, peak 1993. Notable Alexs are 2.0× over-represented as footballers.
What it means
“defender of people”
Ancient GreekWell documented
A short form of Alexander.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1993
267,789 US babies were named Alex between 1940 and 2025.
Where Alexs end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Footballer | 2.0× | High · 200 people |
| Actor | 1.3× | High · 109 people |
| NFL-style footballer | 0.9× | High · 85 people |
| Basketball player | 1.1× | High · 82 people |
Among notable men who are footballers, Alexs show up 2.0× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Alex has a surprise career: 2.3×
Spelling family
Alex is the main spelling
- Alex 100%
- Aleks <1%
- Alexios <1%
- Allex <1%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1993)