Alexandra

Alexandra is the feminine form of the Greek name Alexandros, composed of the elements alexein, meaning to defend or protect, and aner, meaning man, giving the overall sense of defender of men. The name gained widespread use across Europe largely through the fame of Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king of the fourth century BC, and was further popularized by various European queens and empresses, including Alexandra of Denmark, who became Queen consort of the United Kingdom. It has been in common use across nearly every European language tradition for centuries. Related forms include Alessandra, Alejandra, Alexandrina, and the shortened variants Sandra and Alexa.