Alexander
Boy name · #30 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Alexander? In official American birth records, Alexander has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Alexander ranks #30 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 7,230 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #8, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 249 boys born in 2025 was named Alexander.
Babies named Alexander per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Alexander first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 211 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1993, when 20,530 boys were named Alexander — good for #21 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alexander against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alexander in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alexander is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Alexander is most common
Geography matters for names, and Alexander is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Alexander is most common in AK (9.2 per 1,000), DC (8.3 per 1,000), RI (7 per 1,000), MT (6.9 per 1,000), HI (6.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 4.9 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Alexander is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Alexander
Alexander carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Alexander family went to about 10,374 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #10, versus #30 for Alexander alone.
Names like Alexander
Statistically, parents drawn to Alexander tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Anthony, Jacob, Samuel, Christian, and Dylan.
AnthonyJacobSamuelChristianDylanGabrielBenjaminCameron
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alexander | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7,230 | #30 |
| 2024 | 7,547 | #27 |
| 2023 | 7,918 | #22 |
| 2022 | 8,757 | #17 |
| 2021 | 9,425 | #13 |
| 2020 | 10,268 | #10 |
| 2019 | 11,327 | #10 |
| 2018 | 12,110 | #11 |
| 2017 | 12,577 | #13 |
| 2016 | 13,446 | #11 |
| 2015 | 14,584 | #8 |
| 2014 | 15,449 | #8 |
| 2013 | 14,923 | #8 |
| 2012 | 15,259 | #9 |
| 2011 | 15,717 | #8 |
| 2010 | 16,769 | #6 |
| 2009 | 18,254 | #4 |
| 2008 | 18,711 | #6 |
| 2007 | 18,150 | #11 |
| 2006 | 18,235 | #12 |
| 2005 | 18,130 | #13 |
| 2004 | 17,925 | #15 |
| 2003 | 17,714 | #16 |
| 2002 | 17,718 | #15 |
| 2001 | 16,720 | #20 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Alexander?
In official American birth records, the name Alexander first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 211 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Alexander a popular boy name?
Alexander ranked #30 among boys in 2025 with 7,230 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #8.
When was the name Alexander most popular?
Alexander peaked in 1993, when 20,530 American boys received the name (ranked #21 that year). Since 1993 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Alexander?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 249 newborn American boys was named Alexander. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.