Alexis

Updated: October 19, 2021 by MomsWhoThink Staff

When you think of the name Alexis now, you think of it as the female form of the name Alexander. Truth be told, however, the baby name Alexis was originally only used for boys. In the year 1994, however, it became a top 50 name for girls, and though not as popular as it once was, it is primarily used among girls today.

Meaning of the name Alexis:

Greek: defender, protector, truth, defender of the people, helper

Origin of the name Alexis:

The name Alexis comes from the Greek word “alexos”, which is the same word that created the name Alexander in Greek history. The “-is” suffix represents, in ancient Greek culture, a name that would be given to boys. Now, however, due to American history, this name has been spread among females, who it is primarily used.

Symbolism of the name Alexis:

The name Alexis has the meaning “defender” or “helper” due to the root word that it is based on. This root word is the Greek word “alexos”, representing the “defender of the people.” These names that come from Greece and that begin in “Alex” all have similar meanings, which may be due to the popularity of Alexander the Great in ancient times.

Style of the name Alexis:

The style of the name Alexis is classical due to ancient Greek history.

Gender of the name Alexis:

In historical days, the name Alexis was reserved for boys. Now, the name is primarily a name for females.

Pronunciation of the name Alexis:

uh-LEX-ih-s

Number of syllables in the name Alexis:

There are three syllables in the baby name Alexis.

Emotion evoked from the name Alexis:

Due to the meaning of the baby name Alexis, the name devotes emotions such as arrogance, pride, and bravery. It is a very strong name, whether it is used for a boy or a girl.

Alternative spellings for the name Alexis:

Alecksis
Alecksys
Aleksis
Alexxis
Alexys
Allexis

Nicknames for the name Alexis:

Alex
Allie
Ali
Ally
Lexi
Lex
Lexy
Ale

Popularity of the name Alexis:

The baby name Alexis was on the top 10 list from the years 1996 to 2003., even reaching number three in 1999. The name has slowly been declining since then, however, even leaving the top 200 list in 2019 for spot 235. In 2020, the name ranked as number 309 on the Social Security index.