Boy name · Greek
Alejandro
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: defender of menAlejandro 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
| 1880s | 9 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 9 per million |
| 1900s | 49 per million |
| 1910s | 34 per million |
| 1920s | 66 per million |
| 1930s | 73 per million |
| 1940s | 63 per million |
| 1950s | 85 per million |
| 1960s | 161 per million |
| 1970s | 553 per million |
| 1980s | 830 per million |
| 1990s | 1,806 per million |
| 2000s | 2,160 per million |
| 2010s | 1,331 per million |
| 2020s | 1,088 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.

