Alexander is a common male first name. Its origin is Greek and it means "defender of mankind." It was one of the titles ("epithets") given to the Greek goddess Hera, who was believed to come to the aid of warriors in battle. In the Iliad, the character Paris is known also as Alexander.

The name's popularity was spread by the military conquests of King Alexander III of Macedon, known as Alexander the Great.

The female version of the name is Alexandra.

Nicknames: Alex, Alec, Allie, Lex, Sander, Sandy, Sandu (Romania), Sandro (Italy), Sasha (used primarily in Russia and surrounding countries)

First names that can be interpreted as Alexander in English

• Alexandros Greek
• Alexandre French, Portuguese
• Alessandro, Sandro Italian
• Aleksandr Russian
• Aleksander Estonian
• Alejandro Spanish
• Alexandru Romanian
• Iskander Arabic
• Iskandiar Persian
• İskender Turkish
• Sándor Hungarian
• Sikandar Urdu, Hindi

The Gaelic version, Alasdair, is particularly popular in Scotland, having been carried by several early kings of the country. The alternate spellings Alistair, Allistair, Alisdair, Alastair and Alister are also used.

A number of historically significant people were named Alexander:

Monarchs

• Alexander I of Epirus king of Epirus about 342 B.C.
• Alexander II of Epirus king of Epirus 272 B.C.
• Alexander of Pherae despot of Pherae between 369 and 358 BC
• Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon
• Alexander II of Macedon
• Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedon) (356-323 BC), king of Macedon
• Alexander IV of Macedon
• Alexander Severus, (208-235), Roman Emperor
• Alexander III, Byzantine Emperor
• Alexander Joseph of Battenburg, (1857-1893), first prince of Bulgaria
• Alexander of Greece (king), (1917-1920), king of Greece
• Alexander of Poland (1461-1506), king of Poland
• Alexander I of Russia, (1777-1825), emperor of Russia
• Alexander II of Russia, (1818-1881), emperor of Russia
• Alexander III of Russia, (1845 - November 1, 1894), emperor of Russia
• Alexander Karadjordjevic, (1842-1858), Serbian prince
• Alexander Obrenovich, (1876-1903), king of Serbia
• Alexander of Yugoslavia (1888-1934), first king of Yugoslavia
• Alexander I of Scotland, (ca 1078 - April, 1124)
• Alexander II of Scotland, (1198 - July 6, 1249)
• Alexander III of Scotland, (September 4, 1241 - March, 1286)
• Alexandru cel Bun, voivode of Moldavia (1400-1432)
• Alexandru Coconul , voivode of Moldavia (1629-1630)
• Alexander John Cuza, prince of Romania (1859-1866)
• Alexandru Lăpuşneanu , voivode of Moldavia (1552-1561 and 1564 - 1568)
• Alexandru Movilă , voivode of Moldavia (1615-1616)

Religious leaders

• Alexander I, Pope, (pope 97-105)
• Alexander II, Pope, (pope 1058-1061)
• Alexander III, Pope, (pope 1164-1168)
• Alexander IV, Pope, (pope 1243-1254)
• Alexander V, Pope, (Peter Philarges ca. 1339-May 3, 1410)
• Alexander VI, Pope, (1431-1503), Roman pope
• Alexander VII, Pope, (1599-1667)
• Alexander VIII, Pope, (pope 1689-1691),
• Alexander of Constantinople, bishop of Constantinople (314-337)
• Alexander (I) of Alexandria, Coptic Pope, Patriarch of Alexandria between 313 and 328
• Alexander II of Alexandria, Coptic Pope (702-729)
• Alexander of Antioch
• Alexander of Jerusalem

Others named Alexander

First name

• Alexander Aetolus Greek poet
• Alexander Alexandrov, (1883-1946), Russian composer
• Alexander Balas, ruler of the Seleucid kingdom of Syria between 150 and 146 BC
• Alexander Dubcek, reforming head of the Czechoslovak Communist Party during the Prague Spring of 1968
• Alexander Polyhistor, Greek grammarian
• Sir Alexander Fleming, British scientist
• Alexander Hamilton, first United States Secretary of the Treasury
• Alexander Jannaeus, king of Judaea between 103 and 76 BC
• Alexander of Aphrodisias Greek commentator and philosopher
• Alexander of Greece (rhetorician), Greek rhetorician
• Alexander of Hales 13th century Medieval theologian
• Alexander, otherwise known as Paris, the Trojan prince who kidnapped Helen
• Alexander Pushkin, Russian author
• Alexander Rozhenko, a character in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
• Alex the Stockbroker, strip cartoon eponym

Last name

• Christopher Alexander, architect
• Edward Porter Alexander, (1835-1910), officer in the U.S. Army and Confederate States Army.

Places

A number of places are also associated with Alexander:

• Alexander, Manitoba , Canada
• Alexander Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada
• Alexander River, New Zealand
• Alexander, Arkansas, United States
• Alexander, Iowa, United States
• Alexander, Kansas, United States
• Alexander, Maine, United States
• Alexander (town), New York, United States
• Alexander (village), New York, United States
• Alexander, North Dakota
• Alexander Township, McKenzie County, North Dakota , United States
• Alexander Township, Pierce County, North Dakota , United States
• Alexander Township, Stutsman County, North Dakota , United States
• Alexander Township, Ohio , United States

There are also numerous cities throughout the world named Alexandria

Other

• A 2004 movie about Alexander the Great, directed by Oliver Stone was called Alexander
• Alexander was a convict transport ship in the First Fleet to Australia in 1787

Related articles

• List of people by name: Al