Of Greek origin.
From the Greek name Αλέξανδρος (Alexandros).
The meaning of the name is “defender of people”, derived from two Greek words: Τhe verb ” ἀλέξειν” -alexein-, meaning “to ward off, to defend” and the noun “ἀνήρ” -aneer-, meaning “man”.
The earliest form of the name is an ancient Mycenaean Greek name written in the Linear B syllabic script referring to the feminine name Alexandra.
The name was one of the many titles given to the mother of all Olympian Greek gods “Hera” and it meant “one who comes to save warriors”.
Alexander was another name of the hero Paris, in Homer’s epic poem Iliad.
The most famous bearer is Alexander the Great, the Greek king of Ancient Macedonia, who built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia and part of India.
Due to his fame use of his name spread throughout Europe.
Feminine forms of the name are Alexandra, Alexina, Alex, Alessandra, Alexa, Alexandrine, Allie, Lexa, Sanda, Sandra, Sandy, Sandie, Sandrina, Sascha, Zandra etc.
Variants are Alexandros, Aleksander, Alex, Alec, Alejandro, Alastair, Alister, Al, Lex, Sander, Xander, Santeri, Ale, Olek, Aca, Saša, Sasha, Iskandar, Xande, Xandinho.
The name was used by eight popes and several European kings.
Famous bearers are Alexander Fleming, Alexander Graham Bell, Alexander Pushkin, Alexander McQueen, Alexander Payne, Alex Ferguson, Alec Baldwin, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Alejandro Amenabar, Alexander Skarsgard, Alex Kapranos, Alexander Steen, Alexander Borodin, Alex Rodríguez, Alexander Godunov Alexander Siddig, Alex Karras, Alexander Zhulin, Alexander Hammid, Alex Kingston, Alejandro Canizares, Alejandra Guzmán.
Alexander is a popular name in Greece, Iceland, United States, Australia, Austria, Canada, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Mexico and Scotland.
Alexander the Great, was the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia.
He is considered the greatest military genius of all times.
He was the son of King Philip II and Queen Olympia and he was tutored by one of the greatest philosophers of all times, Aristotle.