Aleksander – Name Meaning
The name Aleksander is a boy’s name of Slavic origin meaning “defender of mankind”. It is derived from the Greek name Alexandros, which was derived from the Greek word alexein, meaning “to defend” and aner, meaning “man”. The name has been popular in Eastern Europe since the Middle Ages and is still widely used today.
In its native Slavic languages, Aleksander is often spelled with an ‘s’ instead of a ‘k’, making it Aleksandr. This spelling is also common in other languages such as Russian and Bulgarian. In English, however, the spelling Aleksander is more commonly used.
Popularity
Aleksander has been a popular name in Eastern Europe for centuries. It was particularly popular in Russia during the 19th century when Tsar Alexander I ruled the country. The name has also been popular in other countries such as Poland, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Bulgaria.
In recent years, the popularity of Aleksander has spread to other parts of the world. It is now one of the top 100 baby names in England and Wales and is also becoming increasingly popular in the United States. In 2019, it was ranked at number 545 on the Social Security Administration’s list of most popular baby names.
Famous People Named Aleksander
There are many famous people who have borne the name Aleksander throughout history. These include:
- Tsar Alexander I of Russia (1777-1825)
- Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), Russian poet
- Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), inventor of the telephone
- Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), Scottish biologist who discovered penicillin
- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008), Russian novelist and Nobel Prize winner
Variations of Aleksander
The name Aleksander can be shortened to Alex or Xander. Other variations include: Alaksandar (Bulgarian), Oleksandr (Ukrainian) and Alessandro (Italian).
