Alejandro
Alejandro was the 195th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,842 babies. Its best year was 1999, when it ranked 88th; the most babies were born in 2001 (4,557). Over the last ten years it has moved down 15 places. More babies were named Alejandro in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning defender of men · Spanish, Greek
Say it ah-leh-HAHN-droh /ˌɑleɪˈhɑndroʊ/
- Rank in 2025
- #195 boys, up 17 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,842boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20014,557 babies
- Total since 1880
- 147,470babies recorded
What does the name Alejandro mean?
Alejandro is the Spanish form of Alexander. DMNES derives Alexander from Greek alexein, 'to defend', and aner (genitive andros), 'man', so 'defender of men'. Alexander the Great spread the name through the ancient world, and DMNES lists many popes, saints and Scottish kings named Alexander. Wikipedia explains that the Spanish spelling shifted from Alexandro to Alejandro as Spanish pronunciation changed. Alex and Alejo are short forms.
ἀλέξω (Ancient Greek, “I defend”)ἀνήρ (Ancient Greek, “man (gen. ἀνδρός)”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Alexander, Alex, Alexandro, Alejandra, Alessandro.
See also: Greek names, names that mean protector.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Alexander', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Alejandro', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Alejandro', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Alejandro
The usual nicknames for Alejandro are Alex, Ale and Jandro. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Alejandro in the last five years, 95 were named Alex, against 151 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex · also for Alexander, Alexandra, Alexandria | Traditional | #232 | 9,032 |
| Ale · also for Alessandra, Alejandra | Modern | — | — |
| Jandro | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Alejandros go by each one.
Alejandro popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 846 since 1932.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #195 | 1,842 |
| 2020 | #212 | 1,792 |
| 2010 | #103 | 3,712 |
| 2000 | #89 | 4,511 |
| 1990 | #125 | 2,643 |
| 1980 | #187 | 1,304 |
| 1970 | #326 | 587 |
| 1960 | #557 | 201 |
| 1950 | #642 | 117 |
| 1940 | #653 | 85 |
| 1930 | #605 | 102 |
| 1920 | #817 | 67 |
| 1910 | #1,316 | 7 |
| 1900 | #1,166 | 6 |
| 1890 | #997 | 5 |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Alejandro, counting every spelling?
Alejandro has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #213 for boys in 2025, against #195 on the official list, because Kayson/Kaison/Kaysen and Cohen/Kohen/Kohyn and Eric/Erick/Erik move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Alejandro?
1,842 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Alejandro (0.51 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Alejandro born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 5 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Alejandro.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Alejandro?
About 139,300 people born in the US named Alejandro are alive today, with a median age of 25; half are between 16 and 34. That makes Alejandro mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Alejandro by state
How common Alejandro was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (3.1×), Arizona (2.6×), Texas (2.3×), California (2.0×), Nevada (2.0×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in South Dakota, Mississippi, Hawaii.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Alejandro: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Alejandro, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Alejandro · Sibling names for Alejandro
Questions about the name Alejandro
What does Alejandro mean?
Alejandro means “defender of men” (Spanish, Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Alejandro?
Alejandro was the 195th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,842 babies. Its best year was 1999, when it ranked 88th; the most babies were born in 2001 (4,557). Over the last ten years it has moved down 15 places. More babies were named Alejandro in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Alejandro a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Alejandro in the US.
Where is Alejandro most popular?
In 2021–2025, Alejandro was most common in New Mexico (3.40 per 1,000 boys), followed by Arizona and Texas.