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Aleksandr

♂ Boy

Pronounced uh-LEK-sandr /əˈlɛk.sɑːndr/High

Meaning: Defender of men; the Slavic form of Alexander, from Greek Alexandros (alexein: to defend + aner/andros: man)High

In 30 seconds: The Russian and Slavic form of Alexander meaning 'defender of men.' Associated with Russia's greatest poet Aleksandr Pushkin — whose Eugene Onegin and Boris Godunov shaped Russian literature as Shakespeare shaped English.

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Origin HighRussian, Greek, Slavic

MeaningDefender of men; the Slavic form of Alexander, from Greek Alexandros (alexein: to defend + aner/andros: man)

U.S. rank (2025)#2837 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births44 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2016

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,673

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Aleksandr is the Russian and Slavic form of Alexander, from Greek Alexandros (defender of men). Several Russian emperors bore this name, and Aleksandr Pushkin (1799–1837) made it immortal in Russian literature.

Aleksandr ranked #2470 for boys in 2024, used in Russian American and Eastern European communities.

Did you know? Aleksandr Pushkin (1799–1837) is called the 'Sun of Russian poetry' — and his death in a duel at 37 (defending his wife's honor) is one of Russian culture's most tragic moments. Russia mourned him as deeply as England mourned Shakespeare, and his influence on the Russian language is compared to Shakespeare's on English.

Overall data confidence 95%

Behind the Name — Aleksandr — Russian/Greek etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

AlexanderAleksanderSasha

Nicknames

AlexSashaAlek

Famous Bearers

★Aleksandr Pushkin (1799–1837)
Russia's greatest poet and the 'father of modern Russian literature.' Creator of Eugene Onegin and Boris Godunov; died in a duel at 37.

If you like Aleksandr…

Alexander— the English form of the same Greek name

Aleksander— the -ander spelling of the same Slavic form

Sasha— the Russian diminutive of the same name

Nikolai— Russian masculine name with the same Slavic character

Explore names like Aleksandr

By themegreek three-syllable slavic russian defender

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Aleksandr mean?

Aleksandr means 'defender of men,' the Russian/Slavic form of Alexander, from Greek Alexandros (alexein: to defend + aner: man).

How do you pronounce Aleksandr?

It's said uh-LEK-sandr /əˈlɛk.sɑːndr/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Aleksandr a boy or girl name?

Aleksandr is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Aleksandr?

Aleksandr ranked #2470 for U.S. boys in 2024.