Alex
Girl name · #2486 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Alex? In official American birth records, Alex has been tracked continuously since 1915, giving it 110 years of documented American history.
Alex is currently the #2486 girl name in the United States — 71 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1287, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 25,352 girls born in 2025 was named Alex.
The 110-year story
Alex first appears in the Social Security records in 1915, when 11 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1995, when 441 girls were named Alex — good for #537 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Alex per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alex against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alex in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alex is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Alex will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Alex is most common
State-level data for Alex is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Nicknames & related forms of Alex
Alex belongs to the Alexandra family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Alexandra family went to about 2,566 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #103, versus #2486 for Alex alone.
Names like Alex
Statistically, parents drawn to Alex tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Asia, Aryn, Alea, Acacia, and Austin.
AsiaArynAleaAcaciaAustinKarlyKarliAsya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alex | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 71 | #2485 |
| 2024 | 88 | #2150 |
| 2023 | 100 | #1965 |
| 2022 | 148 | #1478 |
| 2021 | 130 | #1612 |
| 2020 | 171 | #1294 |
| 2019 | 151 | #1460 |
| 2018 | 171 | #1325 |
| 2017 | 189 | #1251 |
| 2016 | 177 | #1338 |
| 2015 | 187 | #1287 |
| 2014 | 160 | #1422 |
| 2013 | 146 | #1509 |
| 2012 | 132 | #1629 |
| 2011 | 168 | #1370 |
| 2010 | 173 | #1352 |
| 2009 | 174 | #1366 |
| 2008 | 169 | #1405 |
| 2007 | 192 | #1277 |
| 2006 | 234 | #1083 |
| 2005 | 229 | #1042 |
| 2004 | 242 | #982 |
| 2003 | 220 | #1038 |
| 2002 | 226 | #977 |
| 2001 | 219 | #981 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Alex?
In official American birth records, the name Alex first appeared in 1915 (over 110 years ago), when 11 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 110 years.
Is Alex a popular girl name?
Alex ranked #2486 among girls in 2025 with 71 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1287.
When was the name Alex most popular?
Alex peaked in 1995, when 441 American girls received the name (ranked #537 that year). Since 1995 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Alex?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 25,352 newborn American girls was named Alex. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.