Alexis Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

Alexis Overview

Meaning: The name Alexis means “protector of humanity,” “to ward off”, “to avert,” or just plain “protector” or “defender.”
Gender: Alexis was originally a male name before gradually becoming a popular girl’s name and finally a popular unisex name.
Origin: Alexis is a variation on the name Alexius, after the saint who had followers in Western and Eastern churches in the 4th or 5th century.
Pronunciation: You pronounce Alexis like “Al-LEX-iss.”
Popularity: Alexis has seen steady popularity over the years, though it reached its peak as a female name in the 1980s before steadily moving down in popular name lists.
Nicknames: Alex, Allie, Ally, Lex, Lexa, Lexi, Lexie, Lexy
Variations: Aleja, Alesia, Alessia, Aleksa, Alexa, Alexia, Alexina, Elexis, Lexa, Lexia, Lexis, Lexus
Namesakes: Alexis Bledel, the actress; Alexis Castle from Castle; Alexis Colby from Dynasty;Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek

Table of Contents

What Does Alexis Mean?
What is the Origin of the Name Alexis?
How Popular is the Name Alexis?
How Do I Pronounce Alexis?
Is Alexis a Boy or Girl Name?
Variations of Alexis
Nicknames for Alexis
Similar Names to Alexis
Middle Names for Alexis
Sibling Names for Alexis
Famous People Named Alexis
Alexis in Popular Culture
Alexis FAQs

What Does Alexis Mean?

The name Alexis usually translates to “helper,” from the Greek word “alexios.” Other meanings might include “defender,” “to avert,” “to protect,” or “to ward off.”

What is the Origin of the Name Alexis?

The origin of the name Alexis may come from St. Alexius, a cult leader who lived during the 4th or 5th century in Syria. He also had followers in the Eastern Church, from which Alexis’s Russian names, such as Alexei or Aleksei, might have arisen.

How Popular is the Name Alexis?

The name Alexis has been among the top 50 most popular names for girls since 1990. It might have been first introduced as a girl’s name in the Western world when actress Alexis Smith began appearing in films.

It really popped into the popular consciousness as a girl’s name during the 1980s, when the TV show Dynasty aired in America but has seen a small, steady decline into the 2010s.

As of 2020, Alexis is still a popular name. The female name was ranked #309 in the United States, while the male name was ranked #402.

How Do I Pronounce Alexis?

You pronounce the name Alexis as Al-LEX-iss, with particular emphasis on the middle syllable. The final syllable carries a long “ss” sound, like “sis.”

Is Alexis a Boy or Girl Name?

Alexis has its origins as a boy’s name because the ending “-is” indicates the masculine gender in Greek grammar. Nowadays, many people regard Alexis as a girl’s name, though it has several male variants.

Today, Alexis is both a boy and girl’s name, with the male version growing into the top 500 boys’ names in the United States in 2020.

Variations of Alexis

The name Alexis has its roots as a male name, but its development into a female name has led to several variations. Some of these variations, both male and female, might include:

Aleja
Alesia
Alessia
Aleksa
Aleksi
Aleksio
Alexa
Alexei
Alexey
Alexia
Alexina
Elexis
Lexa
Lexia
Lexis
Lexus

Nicknames for Alexis

Alexis by itself is a beautiful name, but you might choose a shorter version as a nickname, such as:

Alex
Allie
Ally
Lex
Lexa
Lexi
Lexie
Lexy

Similar Names to Alexis

Maybe you are on the fence about naming your child Alexis but are looking for something like it. A few names you might consider can include the following:

Middle Names for Alexis

If you have chosen Alexis for your child, now you need to choose a middle name to help differentiate your Alexis from others. Middle names that go well with Alexis might include names like:

Sibling Names for Alexis

Alexis is one of those names that lends itself well to a group. If you want to give your little Alexis siblings in the future, any one of these names could work for brothers or sisters.

For a sister:

For a brother:

Avery
Bruno
Cillian
Desmond
Eduardo
Ezra
Dimitri
Dominic
Gideon
Hector
Ivan
Leo
Micah
Rory
Tristan

Famous People Named Alexis

Seeing as the name Alexis has been quite popular over the years, there are plenty of famous people named Alexis. You might know some of these names, including:

Alexis Alexopoulos: Greek sprinter
Alexis Simon Belle: French painter
Alexis Bledel: American actress
Alexis Hornbuckle: American professional basketball player
Alexis Korner: British blues musician
Alexis Lewis: American inventor
Alexis Smith: American actress
Alexis Jordan: American singer

Alexis in Popular Culture

Alexis Castle: a character on the American television series Castle
Alexis Colby: a character in the American television series Dynasty
Alexis Meade: a character on the American television series Ugly Betty
Alexis Rose: a character on the Canadian television series Schitt’s Creek
Alexis Thi Dang: an animated character from the Transformers Unicron Trilogy
Alexis “Lexie” Winston: the protagonist of the 1978 film Ice Castles

Alexis FAQs

While we have covered many facts about the name Alexis, we can always learn a little more about our favorite names.

What Does the Name Alexis Mean in the Bible?

The name Alexis does not appear in the Bible, but it is still significant in Western culture. We mentioned previously that Alexis was the name of a famous saint, and its overall meaning is “protector of humanity.”

How Old Is the Name Alexis?

Going back to how Alexis was the name of a famous 4th or 5th-century saint, that time period is the oldest recording of the name Alexis.

Is Alexis Popular in Countries Outside of the United States?

While Alexis is most commonly found as a name for girls in the United States, it is also popular in other countries. The name’s international influence extends primarily to English-speaking countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

With that being said, the name is also popular among males in France.

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