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Boy name · Greek

Alejandro

Name meaning, origin and popularity

: defender of men

Alejandro is a boy's name that comes from Greek and means "defender of men". It is used in Spanish.

Meaning
Defender of men
Origin
Greek
Gender
Boy
Say it
ah-leh-HAHN-droh (Spanish)

Meaning and origin of Alejandro

As a boy's name, Alejandro comes from Greek and means "defender of men". It is used in Spanish.

In Spanish, say ah-leh-HAHN-droh. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.

Alejandro is also a surname: the 4,409th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 7,798 people. See the most common last names.

Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names

Alejandro on Nomezo lists

What our editors wrote about Alejandro on 2 lists.

  • “Defender of men; Greek. No. 11 in Mexico's 2017–2020 births (INEGI). Say ah-leh-HAHN-droh”

    From Mexican boy names, popular Mexican boy names (INEGI 2020)

  • “Defender of men; Greek. In Spain's 2024 top 10 (INE). Say ah-leh-HAHN-droh”

    From Spanish boy names, popular Spanish boy names in Spain (INE 2024)

How popular is Alejandro?

US rank in 2025
#195
1,842 babies, 1,078 per million boys
Best rank
#88 in 1999
Most babies: 4,557 in 2001
Babies since 1885
At least 146,624
Years with under 5 are not listed
1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
Babies per million US boys, by decade (the 2020s so far, to 2025). Highest in the 2000s, at 2,160 per million.
Babies named Alejandro per million US boys, by decade; highest in the 2000s
1880s9 per million
1890s9 per million
1900s49 per million
1910s34 per million
1920s66 per million
1930s73 per million
1940s63 per million
1950s85 per million
1960s161 per million
1970s553 per million
1980s830 per million
1990s1,806 per million
2000s2,160 per million
2010s1,331 per million
2020s1,088 per million
US rank by year
Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Rank#181#195#208#201#212#206#194#200#186#195

Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.

Nicknames for Alejandro

Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.

  • Alexcommon English nickname
  • Alecommon Spanish nickname
  • Jandrocommon Spanish nickname

Other forms of Alejandro

The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.

  • AlasdairDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • AlastarDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • AlekosDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • AlessandroDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • ÁlexDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • AlexanderDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • AlexandreDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • AlexandrosDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • AlistairDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • AllyDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • SachaDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • SanderDefender of men (Greek, boy)

Names with a similar meaning

  • AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
  • AlexisHelper, defender (Greek, boy)
  • SandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
  • AleksandraDefender of the people (Greek, girl)
  • AlexaDefender of men (Greek, girl)
  • AlexandrinaDefender of men (Greek, girl)
  • SandyDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • SashaDefender of men (Greek, unisex)
  • XanderShort form of Alexander, defender of men (Greek, boy)
  • AlejandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
  • AlejoDefender, helper (Greek, boy)
  • AleksanderDefender of the people (Greek, boy)
  • AleksandrDefender of the people (Greek, boy)
  • AlessandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
  • AlessiaDefender, helper (Greek, girl)

Middle names for Alejandro

Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.

  • BasilRoyal, kingly (Greek, boy)
  • CedarFragrant evergreen tree (English, boy)
  • ClarkCleric, scribe (Old English, boy)
  • HughHeart, mind (Germanic, boy)
  • PaulSmall, humble (Latin, boy)
  • ReidRed-haired (Old English, boy)
  • RhysArdor, enthusiasm (Welsh, boy)
  • WyattBrave in war (Old English, boy)

More boy names from Greek

  • LucasMan from Lucania (Greek, boy)
  • ChristianFollower of Christ (Greek, boy)
  • LeonA lion (Greek, boy)
  • HectorHolding fast (Greek, boy)
  • TheoGift of God (Greek, boy)
  • LucaMan from Lucania (Greek, boy)
  • PeterRock, stone (Greek, boy)
  • SebastianMan of sebaste, venerable (Greek, boy)
  • AndreasManly, brave (Greek, boy)
  • CyrilLordly (Greek, boy)
  • FilipLover of horses (Greek, boy)
  • KlausVictory of the people (Greek, boy)
  • LinusFlax plant (Greek, boy)
  • NarcisoNarcissus flower (Greek, boy)
  • NicoVictory of the people (Greek, boy)
  • StefanCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
  • TimHonoring God (Greek, boy)
  • AlcidesStrength (Greek, boy)

Alejandro: common questions

What does the name Alejandro mean?

Alejandro comes from Greek and means "defender of men".

Is Alejandro a boy or girl name?

Alejandro is mainly a boy's name.

What are nicknames for Alejandro?

Common nicknames for Alejandro include Alex, Ale and Jandro.

How do you pronounce Alejandro?

In Spanish, say ah-leh-HAHN-droh. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.

How popular is the name Alejandro?

Alejandro ranked #195 in the US in 2025, with 1,842 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

What are other forms of Alejandro?

Forms of Alejandro with the same meaning and origin include Alasdair (Scottish), Alastar (Irish), Alekos (Greek), Alessandro (Italian) and Álex (Spanish).

What middle names go with Alejandro?

Middle names that flow well with Alejandro include Basil, Cedar, Clark, Hugh and Paul. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.