Girl name · Greek
Sandra
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: defender of menSandra is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "defender of men". It is used in English, Italian, Spanish and German.
- Meaning
- Defender of men
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #1210 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Sandra
As a girl's name, Sandra comes from Greek and means "defender of men". It is used in English, Italian, Spanish and German.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Sandra on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Sandra on 4 lists.
“A classic short form of Alexandra, a touch more formal”
From Nicknames for Alexa, classic nicknames for Alexa
“Defender of men; Greek. Short form of Alejandra”
From Mexican girl names, classic Mexican female names
“Defender of men; Greek. Italian short form made famous worldwide”
From Strong female names, warrior names for girls
“Defender of men; Greek. Short form of Alessandra; #5 in 1947”
From Vintage girl names, 1930s to 1950s girl names
How popular is Sandra?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,210
- 188 babies, 117 per million girls
- Best rank
- #5 in 1947
- 34,779 babies that year
- Babies since 1904
- At least 875,531
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 16 per million |
| 1910s | 53 per million |
| 1920s | 136 per million |
| 1930s | 4,258 per million |
| 1940s | 18,332 per million |
| 1950s | 13,080 per million |
| 1960s | 10,065 per million |
| 1970s | 4,164 per million |
| 1980s | 1,749 per million |
| 1990s | 979 per million |
| 2000s | 541 per million |
| 2010s | 210 per million |
| 2020s | 142 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #882 | #895 | #980 | #987 | #1,103 | #994 | #1,081 | #1,062 | #1,048 | #1,210 |
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.
Other forms of Sandra
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- AlejandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- AlessandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- AlexaDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- AlexandrinaDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- AlexandrineDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- SandrineDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- SashaDefender of men (Greek, unisex)
Names spelled like Sandra
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- SaraPrincess, noblewoman (Hebrew, girl)
- SakuraCherry blossom (Japanese, girl)
- SamiraCompanion in evening talk (Arabic, girl)
- SanaaBrilliance, radiance (Arabic, girl)
- SanchaHoly (Latin, girl)
- SandhyaTwilight (Sanskrit, girl)
- SannaLily flower (Hebrew, girl)
- SawdaBlack (Arabic, girl)
- SidraLote tree (Arabic, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- AlexanderDefender of men (Greek, boy)
- AlexisHelper, defender (Greek, boy)
- AlexDefender, protector (Greek, unisex)
- AleksandraDefender of the people (Greek, girl)
- AlexandreDefender of men (Greek, boy)
- AlistairDefender of men (Greek, boy)
- SandyDefender of men (Greek, boy)
- XanderShort form of Alexander, defender of men (Greek, boy)
- AlasdairDefender of men (Greek, boy)
- AlastarDefender of men (Greek, boy)
Middle names for Sandra
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Greek
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
- PetraRock, stone (Greek, girl)
- RitaA pearl (Greek, girl)
Sandra: common questions
What does the name Sandra mean?
Sandra comes from Greek and means "defender of men".
Is Sandra a boy or girl name?
Sandra is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Sandra come from?
Sandra comes from Greek and means "defender of men". Today it is used in English, Italian, Spanish and German.
How popular is the name Sandra?
Sandra ranked #1,210 in the US in 2025, with 188 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Sandra?
Forms of Sandra with the same meaning and origin include Alejandra (Spanish), Alessandra (Italian), Alexa (English), Alexandra (English) and Alexandrina (English).
What middle names go with Sandra?
Middle names that flow well with Sandra include Belle, Fern, Iris, Jade and Joy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.