Names That Mean Defending

Lyosha is a common nickname for Aleksei, the Russian form of Alexios.

Sanders is one of the S-ending surnames gaining traction as a first name for boys in the US. It jumped nearly 2000 points in popularity this year.

An alternative to Sasha, another common Russian nickname for Aleksandra.

Cool, gender-neutral short form of Alexandra and company.

Commonly heard as a nickname for Alejandro, but a rare sight on the birth certificate. Ale has only made the US charts for boys twice, once in 2005 and again in 2018.

Shura is a unisex Russian nickname for Aleksandr or Aleksandra, themselves forms of Alexander. Less known in the English=speaking world than Sasha, it's also more assertive -- probably because of that "sure" sound.

This unusual form of Alexandra might be seen and pronounced as a combination of Alex and Anne.

Variation of Alexander.

Another appealing member of the Alexandrian clan.

This spin on the "Alex" prefix was the 88th most popular girl name in Scotland in 1900.

Preppier and less politically-charged than its source name, Sanders

One of many variants of the classic Alexander — this particular one is used in South Slavic countries.

Common as an independent name in Slovenia.

One of many variants of the classic Alexander — this particular one is used in Ukraine.

Removing one letter from the somewhat intimidating Alexios gives you Alexio, a charming and more accessible variation.

A rare name borne by a character in the young adult book series The Morganville Vampires.

If Sasha feels just a tad too dull, you may like the evocative Sasheya — used as a diminutive of Alexandra in Slavic regions.

Aleksej is the Slovene form of Alexios, making it a cognate of Alexis.