Alexander

Alexander is a Latin and Greek name derived from the ancient Greek Alexandros, composed of the elements alexein, meaning to defend or protect, and aner (genitive andros), meaning man, giving the overall sense of defender of men. The name gained extraordinary reach through Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king of the 4th century BCE whose conquests spread Greek culture across Persia, Egypt, and into Central Asia, making the name prestigious throughout the ancient and medieval world. It was further popularized by three early Christian saints and numerous kings and emperors across Europe and beyond. Common variants and cognates include Aleksander, Alexandru, Alejandro, Alessandro, Alasdair, Alexandros, and the shortened forms Alex and Xander.