Comments for the name Alexander

The crown prince of the Netherlands is a famous bearer of this name: Willem-Alexander.

This was the first name of Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone and teacher of the deaf.

In Sweden the name of the Disney character Gladstone Gander (Donald Duck's lucky cousin) is Alexander Lukas.

This is the formal first name of the fictional character Alexander Joseph Luthor (known simply as Lex Luthor), the nemesis of Superman. I believe that the reason that Alexander was given as first name to Lex Luthor is probably a link to Alexander the Great (at least, the is what seems to be the case in Smallville).

I find the name Alexander very masculine and attractive. I can't help but expect certain things of others because of feelings I have about the names they bear, and I must say that I expect good things from any guy who carries this name. It would suit almost any male and I would be proud to give this name to my own son.

Dutch pronunciation is ah-lex-AHN-duhr. [noted -ed]

I think this name sounds respectable and virile. But I prefer the name as a whole than the nicknames. It sounds more professional than just Alex or Xan.

The name of the character in Irving Berling's song: Alexander's Ragtime Band.

Classic and strong-sounding, I know a bearer of this name (my friend's cousin) and it fits his personality. I love this name.

The name Alexander goes back to the Bronze Age. The hittite chronicles, XIV century B.C., mention Aleksandu of Wilusa (Ilion of the Greeks), who was at war with the Ahhiyawans (the Achaeans). Some peoples may relate him to Paris of Troy who was also called Alexander according to Iliad.

More references at:
http://www.apaclassics.org/AnnualMeeting/01mtg/abstracts/BACHVAROVA.html
http://www.groupsrv.com/science/viewtopic.php?p=133609
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaksandu
and,
http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=85071

This is a hot and attractive name.

Sounds more Greek to me. (duh) And yes, I don't even want to say what I picture when I think of this name. Sooo attractive and strong, literally. :)

Connotation for the name Alexander means "protector of men".

Alexander Corvinus, in the "Underworld" movies, is the father of Marcus and William, the first vampire and lycan and first true immortal. He doesn't have much of a role in the first but you do meet him in the second.

Alexander is a very nice name. It evokes a sense of power and strength.

Ah, great history, nice meaning and evokes many attractive feelings. It is really quite popular for characters. 'Alexander' will never go out of date and it keeps the high votes coming. Nice name!

Alexander is the name of a gasoline company!

A famous bearer I recall for now is Alexander Hamilton. There are also several authors who bear this name.

Getting really popular and common but it's still a nice name.

From where I come from, and in a song I heard, people pronounce Alexander as EL-ee-zhan-dur. With long A and E sound. However, I pronounce it Ale-Xzhan-Dur how it is meant to be.

I love the name. It sounds very masculine and strong.

Alexander is a nice strong name for a boy. I know a lot of kids with the name Alexander and go by Alex. I like the nickname Zander.

Just like everyone else is saying here, Alexander is a strong and masculine name. This is one of my favorite boy names. It's the name of one of my friends and my Spanish uncle.

Sir Alexander Flemming, inventor of penicillin.

Extremely popular in Germany, both as a first name and as a middle name.

I love this name. I think I have to, my husband's name is Alexander and so is our two year old son. I also agree it shouldn't be messed with like all these new nicknames. I once heard someone calling Xander. I didn't like this nickname. This is a family name so we keep it in its original form Alexander. Awesome name.

Alexander in Macedonian, Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian is Aleksandar. Beautiful name! That is my brother's name and from him and from the history big percentage of the scientists that "light up" our world with knowledge an inventions are Alexander, Aleksandar. Person that invented the telephone; person that built the Eifel Tower, person that invented the dynamite.

Listen to the German pronunciation of Alexander here:
http://www.nordicnames.de/Aussprache.html.

Greek actor John Anastassakis & Sherry Rooney have son Alexander (born 1984). Brother of Jennifer Anastassakis.

I love the name Alexander. It is a very masculine name and it is extremely hot. :D

This name is extremely popular where I live. I personally know three or four people named this just in my grade! I really like the name, and its many nicknames, though all the boys I know just use Alex. So therefore, we call them by their last names instead.

I find it sad there are great names like this one, and they are used in a short form, like Alex. It's TOO popular! Alexander by itself sounds much stronger, masculine, almost royal.

Two theories are current for "Alexander", depending whom you consult. Some sources say "defender of men"; some say "warder off of men" (i.e. a loner?). I write only because yours seems to be the best name site around, but I think you may be in the mistaken majority about "Alexander".

No question, it does come from the Greek alexein + andr-, men. And it's easy to see why "defender" is more popular than "warder off", especially with people called Alex.

The thing is, "to ward off" does seem to be the literal meaning of alexien, and it's the meaning in every English word I know that takes it for a root. Alexikakon for example is a warder off of evil, not a defender of evil. Alexipharmic is a warder off of a drug.

The Russian nickname for Alexander (or Alex) is Sasha.

This is nice name. Unfournately, it's often shortened to Alex, which leaves question of gender. I'd be Alexander if I were I a guy, not Alex.

I love this! I love the nickname Alec for it.

This name is starting to get extremely common. It's almost in the top 10.

I love this name. It has been one of my top 3 names for boys for as long as I can remember, and it will be the first name I give to my son (if I ever get one). I don't really know why I love this name, I just do. I think it's one of the best names there is.

Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber have a son Alexander Schreiber, was born 25 July 2007 in L.A.

Alexo (in ancient Greek) means "to repulse from oneself". Thus Alexander means "repulsing men".

I think of a strong man, with blond curly hair for some odd reason.

Alexander is the first name of the title character in Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth. I hated that book.

I like the name Alexander because it isn't too rough, but is still strong. I like all the nicknames for it; my favorites are Alec and Sascha. I don't think that Sascha would be very accepted for a boy where I live, though. I do know a lot of Alexanders though. It's a very common name. They all go by Alex.

Alexander is also the name of a cocktail made from crème de cacao, sweet cream, and gin or brandy. It's name was originally derived from the given name Alexander.

Alexander William Gaskarth is the lead singer of the Maryland pop-punk band All Time Low.

Alexander Greenwald of Phantom Planet! Lead singer and guitarist.

I absolutely adore this name! Awesome name to have, gives a very good impression. But not that big a fan of the nickname Alex - I don't think names should really be shortened.

Number 12 for boys in 2005. I love this name. But I think I prefer the name Alex, as a first name, I would come closer to using Alexander as a middle name than a first name.

I have mixed feelings about this name. It seems to be a popular one for fictional "bad guys" and leaves a slightly slimy taste in my mouth. It's also a very "old country" name to me, which I love.

Also, "Alex" is a sniper rifle (awesomeness!), a nickname that comes from it's creator Aleksander. Great name if you're a gun dork.

In Madeline L'Engle's Time Quartet, the twins are Alexander Murry and Dennys Murry, who are featured prominently in Many Waters. Alexander always goes by the nickname "Sandy".

Alexander "Alex" David Turner (born 6 January 1986, Sheffield UK) is an English musician and member of Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets. He is the vocalist and lead guitarist in both bands. He is the main songwriter in the Arctic Monkeys. I love him. ;)

Jeri Lynn Zimmermann and Jack Ryan have a son Alexander Ryan, born 1995.

Also quite common in Scandinavia.

Alexander Sterling is the name of the lead vampire in the Mampire Kisses series by Ellen Schreiber.

Alexander Skarsgård (born 1976) is the oldest son of Stellan Skarsgård and a Swedish actor. He plays Eric Northman in the tv-show True Blood.

Alexander the Great often compared himself to Achilles. Some say that, like Achillles, his best friend was also his lover. In the case of Achilles, it was Patroclus, in Alexander's, it was Hephaeston.

Makes a wonderful middle name.

I was wondering when someone would mention Hephaestion.
He was "... by far the dearest of all the king's friends; he had been brought up with Alexander and shared all his secrets."

There's an Oliver Stone movie called Alexander, a biopic of the life of Alexander the Great. In it, Hephaestion is clearly portrayed as Alexander's lover. The majority of modern-day historians tend to agree with the prospect that the two were lovers, because the evidence supporting a romantic relationship was rather abundant. It was mocked, for example, that Alexander was ruled by Hephaestion's thighs. And, when Hephaestion died, well, let's just say that it was Achilles and Patroclus all over again. Alexander petitioned at the Oracle of Siwa to grant Hephaestion divine status.

One of the most boring names on Earth.

I imagine Alexander, I don't know, sitting on a throne, pointing at something. (?)

Macho origin, though the name's become the prime of trite. Of course, everyone liked it before it became popular. Of course. But, overall, you can't go wrong with Alexander.

Very handsome masculine name; I love the fact that it has a long and distinguished history in Scotland, where the name was used by the royal family in the Middle Ages.

Alexander Rybak, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, is a famous bearer of this name.

I love this name! Alexander is just a really cool name that has charisma!

I'm sorry, but Alexander reminds me of a duck. When I was very young my favourite book was this picture book called Alexander the Duck, and it described the adventures of a duck named Alexander as he waddled through Sydney.

It's a very royal name, no wonder it's so popular. I like it a lot.

My brother's name is Alexander, but he goes by Alex now. Our family calls him Zandy :)

I adore this name, but I think it's way too common for me to ever use it.

I have loved the name Alexander since I was a teenager spotting it on popularity lists. I also love the name Anna since I was a little girl. I am going to end up naming my daughter and son Anna and Alexander. I like Alexei as a nickname as well! Beautiful!

I love this name. I am going to name my son this:)
Great name.

For those who dislike pretentious names. Alexander is among them. Though because it is so widely used, it's grown accepted-- unlike something along the lines of "Zeus," which will never be commonly used in the contemporary world... as long as my years will see, at least.

It certainly is a nice name to the ear-- but, unfortunately, I believe it to stop there. The world is overrun with "Alex"s mainly because it is an ornate name, and the "-xander" pleases.

There are countless names that will courageously stand the test of time. Names that your son will not be an Alex #2 or an Alex #6. He could be the first. Even "Alexander" in a separate language could function... add on a creative nickname and he's good to go.

I do not hate, per se. I only believe that it is much less than the show people recite it as. Alexanders, be proud of your name. Be proud that it will not slow your career. Be proud that your parents did not name you Cucumber.

My last name is Alexander and I am Spanish and Trinidadian.

Alexander Archipenko (1887-1964) was a Russian-born sculptor.

Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten (July 17, 1714 – May 26, 1762) was a German philosopher.

Alexander "Sanders" Bening was a Netherlandish book illuminator.

The name remains the same also in contemporary Greek. The first component Greek name: αλεκω means also "prevent". The Romans literally inherited Alexander's empire. Kleopatra of Egypt was of the family Ptolemi. Ptolemi was a general of Alexander's army. He undertook Egypt after Alexander's premature death.

I love this name. I imagine Alexander as a very sweet little boy and a kind and reliable man who's not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. I'm considering this as a middle name for my future hypothetical son. My last name means "the great" so it would be a little inside-joke that he was literally named Alexander the Great.

Alexander Calder (1898-1976) was an American scultpor and painter, famous as the inventor of the mobile and thereby as one of the pioneers of Kinetic art.

This is my brother's name, and despite it's commonness, it's still really cool. It's a really common name in Sweden and probably very common across the world.

It's the kind of name you give your kid if you want them to have a easy life, and not constantly having to spell out their name or correcting people on the pronunciation of their name.

Common Estonian diminutive is Sass.
My grandfather was Aleksander, everybody called him Sass.
A boy in my school was Aleksander, and he himself signed his tests Sass, though I remember a new teacher didn't like that, cause you were supposed to sign your full name. In my generation of Estonians middle names or plural last names are highly uncommon and using patronyms are in the past so a "full name" is usually something not very long, my own is 4 syllables, 8 letters.

AJ McLean from the Backstreet Boys full name is Alexander James McLean.

Very nice, masculine name. I also like the nickname Xander.

Alexander of Russia was the little brother of Czar Nicholas II of Russia. He died young.

Alexander John was the youngest son of King Edward VII of the UK and his wife Alexandra of Denmark. He died young.

Alexander was the second son of Alexander II of Russia and his wife Maria. Because his older brother Nicholas died young, he married his fiancee Dagmar and became the Emperor.

Alexander (1818-1881) was the oldest son of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna. He later became Emperor Alexander II.

Alexander (1772-1795) was one of the sons of the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II and his wife Maria Luisa of Spain.

Alexander (1554-1565) was the son of Augustus, Elector of Saxony and his wife Anna of Denmark.

Αλέξανδρος / Aléxandros (accent on the e) is also the name used in Modern Greek in identical form to the ancient.

In German there is also the diminutive form AXEL which is missing from the list.

Alexander (1447-1447) was the son of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony and his wife Margarete of Austria.

Alexander (1691-1692) was the son of Tsar Peter I of Russia (Peter the Great) and his wife Eudoxia.

Alexander (1777-1825) was the oldest son of Tsar Paul I of Russia and his wife Sophie. He later became Tsar Alexander I.

Alexander Ludwig (best known for his roles in Race To Witch Mountain, The Seeker: The Dark is Rising and The Hunger Games) bears this name.

Alexander Lavelle Harris or Xander as he was known on Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show! Which is why my son's name is Xander :)

I read that the origin of the name, Alexandros, was first given to the Goddess Hera after she supposedly helped one side during a battle. I think that adds to the rich history of the name. Http://tellingvoice.com/blog/greek-root-thesis/

Reaaally common, (most often as Alex) I know it's a very old name but it seems more like a child's name now because there are so many little boys named Alex.

It is a Illyrian name(Albanian).

A-is
LE-born
X(KSI)-as
ANDER-dream.

According to the legend, the mother of Alexander the great was a pregnant, she dreamed her baby. After she gave birth to Alexander, she yell "A le ksi Ander". From that moment people are called A-le-ksi-ander.