Alexandrine

Alexandrine is a 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 wide use across Europe largely through the fame of Alexander the Great, the Macedonian conqueror of the fourth century BCE, whose legacy spread Greek naming traditions throughout the ancient world. Alexandrine was particularly fashionable in French-speaking and German-speaking countries during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, borne by several European noblewomen. Related forms include Alexandra, Alessandra, and Alexandrina.