Alja

Alja is a Slavic feminine name, used primarily in Slovenian and Croatian traditions as a short form of Aleksandra or Aljaž (in its masculine application), ultimately tracing back to the Greek Alexandros, composed of the elements alexein, meaning to defend, and aner, meaning man. As an independent given name it gained broader use in the twentieth century across the South Slavic region. Related forms include Aleksandra, Aleks, and Saša.