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The short answer
Alexandra is the feminine form of Alexander, which Behind the Name traces to the Greek Alexandros, "defending men", from alexo, "to defend, help", and aner, "man". Behind the Name says that "in Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess Hera, and an alternate name of Cassandra", that it was borne by several early Christian saints, and by the wife of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia, who was born Alix in Germany and renamed Aleksandra on joining the Russian Church. It is used across most of Europe. In the United States Alexandra ranked #237 for girls in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name gives Alexandra as the feminine form of Alexander and lists the roots alexo + aner. The Alexander entry supplies the gloss: the Latinized form of Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), "which meant 'defending men' from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning 'to defend, help' and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning 'man' (genitive ἀνδρός)." The Alexandra entry's history is compact: a Mycenaean epithet of Hera, an alternate name of Cassandra, several early Christian saints, and Tsar Nicholas II's wife, born Alix and renamed Aleksandra. Behind the Name lists usage in English, German, Dutch, French, Scandinavian, Icelandic, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Catalan and Russian, with pronunciations for German, Dutch, French, Greek, Romanian and Hungarian but not English.
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient Greek | ἀλέξω (alexo) | to defend, help |
| Ancient Greek | ἀνήρ (aner), genitive ἀνδρός | man |
| Ancient Greek | Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros) | defending men |
Popularity
Alexandra ranked #237 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration); Behind the Name's cached entry records the same figure.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (girls) | 2025 | #237 | ssa-2025 |
United States, 2025: #237 (Social Security Administration)
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: Alex, Alexa, Ali, Allie, Ally, Lexa, Lexi, Lexie, Lexy, Sandy, Sandie, Zandra, Sasha, Sanya, Shura
Variants: Alexandrea, Alexandria, Alexandrina, Alexandrie, Aleksandra, Alejandra, Alessandra, Oleksandra, Alastríona
Related names: Alexander, Alexandros, Alexandre, Alexandru, Sandra, Sasha, Cassandra
What the name feels like
Alexandra is a grand, four-syllable classic that never feels heavy in practice, because it comes with more nicknames than almost any girls' name: Alex, Lexi, Sandy, Sasha and a dozen more across languages. That combination of formal full name and casual short form is its real appeal. It reads as regal and international, at home in a Russian, Greek, German or English family, and its mythological and imperial associations give it depth without dating it.
Style tags: classic, Greek roots, four syllables, royal association, rich in nicknames
Editorial interpretation: These style impressions are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact. The nicknames listed are a selection from Behind the Name's English, Russian and other diminutives; 'regal' and 'international' are our characterizations.
If you like this name
Names that share Alexandra's Greek root, its long classic shape, or its nickname-rich style.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alexandra mean?
Alexandra is the feminine form of Alexander, from Greek Alexandros, "defending men": alexo, "to defend, help", plus aner, "man", according to Behind the Name.
Is Alexandra a popular name?
Alexandra ranked #237 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are nicknames for Alexandra?
Behind the Name lists many: in English Alex, Alexa, Ali, Allie, Ally, Lexa, Lexi, Lexie, Lexy, Sandie, Sandy and Zandra; in Russian Sasha, Sanya and Shura; in Greek Aleka; in Hungarian Szandra.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Alexandra — supports feminine form of Alexander, roots, mythological and historical notes, usage labels, pronunciations, variants, diminutives.
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Alexander — supports Greek etymology 'defending men'.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
