Alexander

{{otheruses1|the male first name}}
{{Infobox Given Name Revised
| name = Alexander
| image=
| imagesize=
| caption=
| pronunciation=
| gender = Male
| meaning = Protector of man
| region =
| origin = [[Greek language|Greek]]
| related names =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Alexander''' is a common male first name. It also occurs, less frequently, as a [[family name|surname]].

==Origin==
{{refimprove|date=April 2007}}
The name in [[English language|English]] is taken from the [[Latin]] "Alexander," which is a [[romanization]] of the Greek name ''Αλέξανδρος'' (Alexandros). [[Etymology|Etymologically]], the name is a compound of the Greek verb ''ἀλέξειν'' (alexein) "to defend" and the noun ''ἀνδρός'' (andros), genitive of ''ἀνήρ'' (anēr) "man". Thus it may be roughly translated as "protector of man."
The term is either a rare type of "inverse [[tatpurusha]]" compound, with the modifier in second position (the cognate [[Sanskrit]] tatpurusha being *nararakṣa, cf. [[Ramayana]] 6.33.45; the exact Sanskrit counterpart would be *rakṣinara, from PIE hleks(i)-hnros), or a worn-down [[terpsimbrotos]] type compound, whose original verbal meaning was "he protects men".

The earliest attested record of the name is the [[Greek language|Greek]] of the feminine [[Alexandra]], written in [[Linear B]] <ref>http://www.geocities.com/kurogr/linearb.pdf</ref> (''The Mycenaean World'', by John Chadwick, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1976, 1999).

The name was one of the titles ("epithets") given to the Greek goddess [[Hera]] and as such is usually taken to mean "one who comes to the aid of warriors." In the [[Iliad]], the character [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]] is known also as Alexander. The name's popularity was spread throughout the Greek world by the military conquests of King Alexander III of Macedonia, commonly known as "[[Alexander the Great]]"

==Variants and diminutives==

*[[Albanian language|Albanian]] - Aleks, Sandër, Skender
*[[Amharic language|Amharic]] - Eskender
*[[Arabic language|Arabic]] - Iskandar, Skandar, Skender
*[[Belarusian language|Belarusian]] - Аляксандp (Aliaksandr), Алeсь (Ales'), Алелька (Alyel'ka)
*[[Bosnian language|Bosnian]] - Aleksandar, Aco, Saša, Aleksa, Sandro
*[[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] - Алeксандъp (Aleksander), Сашо (Sasho)
*[[Catalan language|Catalan]] - Alexandre, Àlex, Xandre
*[[Croatian language|Croatian]] - Aleksandar, Aco, Acika, Saša, Sale
*[[Danish language|Danish]] - Aleksander, Alexander
*[[Dutch language|Dutch]] - Alexander, Alexandra, Alex, Alexia, Lex, Sander, Sanne, Sandra, Xander, Wander, Aleksander
*[[English language|English]] - Alexander, Alec, Alex, Lex, Sandy, Andy, Alexis, Alexa, Alexandria, Alexandra, Sandra, Al, Sasha, Ali, Lexxi, Zander, Xander, Sashi, Eck
*[[Estonian language|Estonian]] - Aleksander, Sander, Alexander (rare)
*[[Finnish language|Finnish]] - Aleksanteri, Aleksi, Santeri
*[[French language|French]] - Alexandre, Alexis, Alex
*[[Galician language|Galician]] - Alexandre, Álex
*[[German language|German]] - Alexander (short: Alex, Ali, Akki)
*[[Greek language|Greek]] - Αλέξανδρος (Alexandros), Αλέξης/Αλεξία (Alexis/Alexia), Αλέκος/Αλέκα (Alekos/Aleka), Άκης (Akis)
*[[Hebrew]] - אלכסנדר (Alexander)
*[[Hindi]] - [[Hindustani]] - [[Sikandar]]
*[[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] - Sándor
*[[Icelandic language|Icelandic]] - Alexander
*[[Irish language|Irish (Gaeilge)]] - Alasandar
*[[Italian language|Italian]] - Alessandro, Leandro, Ale, Sandro, Alessio
*[[Kazakh language|Kazakh]] - Ескендiр
*[[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] - Aleksandras
*[[Macedonian language|Macedonian]] - Александар, Алек, Аце, Ацо, Сашо, Сандо, Цанче
*[[Malay language|Malay]] - Iskandar
*[[Malayalam]] - ചാണ്ടി (Chandy)
*[[Maltese language|Maltese]] - Lixandru
*[[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] - Alexander, Aleksander
*[[Persian language|Persian]] - Eskandar
*[[Polish language|Polish]] - Aleksander, Alek, Olek, Aleks
*[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] - Alexandre, Alexandro (rare), Alexandra, Xana (feminine), Xano, Alex, Xande, Xanocas
*[[Romanian language|Romanian]] - Alexandru, Alec, Alex, Alle, Alecu, Sandu, Lixandru
*[[Russian language|Russian]] - Александp (Aleksandr), Алик (Alik), Саша ([[Sasha (name)|Sasha]]), Саня (Sanya), Санёк (Sanyok), Шура (Shura), Шурик (Shurik)
*[[Sanskrit language]] - Alekchendra
*[[Scottish Gaelic language|Scots Gaelic]] - Alasdair, [[Alastair]], Alistair, [[Alisdair]]
*[[Serbian language|Serbian]] - Александар, Аца, Саша, Алексa - Aleksandar, Aca, Saša, Aleksa
*[[Slovenian language|Slovenian]] - Aleš, Sandi, Sanja, Sandra, Saša, Sašo
*[[Spanish language|Spanish]] - [[Alejandro]], Ale, Alejo, Jandro
*[[Swedish language|Swedish]] - Alexander
*[[Turkish language|Turkish]] - İskender
*[[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] - Олександр (Oleksandr), Сашко (Sashko), Олелько (Olelko, rare), Олесь(Oles), Лесь(Les)
*[[Urdu]] - [[Hindustani]] - [[Sikandar]]
*[[Urdu]] - [[Pakistan]]i - [[Sikander]] ("Sikander-e-Azam" is "Alexander the Great")
*[[Uzbek language|Uzbek]] - Iskandar
*[[Yiddish]] - סענדער - Sender, Senderl

===Monarchs===

====Antiquity====
*[[Alaksandu]], ca. 1280 BC
*[[Alexander of Corinth]], 10th king of [[Corinth]] (816-791 BC)
*[[Alexander I of Macedon]]
*[[Alexander of Pherae]] despot of Pherae between 369 and 358 BC
*[[Alexander I of Epirus]] king of Epirus about 342 BC
*[[Alexander II of Epirus]] king of Epirus 272 BC
*[[Alexander II of Macedon]]
*'''[[Alexander the Great]] (Alexander III of Macedon), King of Macedon, 336–323 BC'''
*[[Alexander IV of Macedon]]
*[[Alexander Balas]], ruler of the Seleucid kingdom of Syria between 150 and 146 BC
*[[Alexander Severus]], (208–235), Roman Empire

====Middle Ages====
*[[Alexander, Byzantine Emperor]] (912–913)
*[[Alexander I of Scotland]] (c. 1078–1124)
*[[Alexander II of Scotland]] (1198–1249)
*[[Alexander Nevsky]] (1220–1263), Grand Prince of Novgorod and Vladimir
*[[Alexander III of Scotland]] (1241–1286)
*Aleksander (1338-before 1386), prince of Podolia (son of [[Narymunt]])
*[[Sikandar Butshikan]], Sultan of Kashmir (1389–1413)
*[[Alexandru cel Bun]], voivode of Moldavia (1400–1432)
*[[Skenderbeg]] (1405–1468), prince of Albania
*[[Alexandru I Aldea]], ruler of the principality of Wallachia (1431–1436)
*[[Eskender]], Emperor of Ethiopia (1472–1494)
*[[Alexander Jagiellon|Alexander of Poland]] (1461-1506), king of Poland
*[[Alexandru Lapusneanu|Alexandru Lăpuşneanu]], voivode of Moldavia (1552–1561 and 1564–1568)
*[[Sikandar Shah Suri]], Shah of Delhi (1555)
*[[Sikandar Lodhi]], Sultan of Delhi (16th Century)

====Modern====
*[[Alexander I of Russia]] (1777–1825), emperor of Russia
*[[Sikandar Jah]], Nizam of Hyderabad, (1803 to 1829)
*[[Alexander II of Russia]] (1818–1881), emperor of Russia
*[[Alexander III of Russia]] (1845–1894), emperor of Russia
*[[Alexander Karadjordjevic, Prince of Serbia]] (1842–1858)
*[[Alexander of Bulgaria]] (1857–1893), first prince of Bulgaria
*[[Alexander John Cuza]], prince of Romania (1859–1866)
*[[Alexander Obrenovic]] (1876–1903), king of Serbia
*[[Alexander, Prince of Lippe]] (1831–1905), prince of Lippe
*[[Alexander of Yugoslavia]] (1888–1934), first king of Yugoslavia
*[[Zog I]] also known as Skenderbeg III, (1895–1961), king of Albanians
*[[Alexander of Greece (king)]] (1917–1920), king of Greece
*[[Leka, Crown Prince of Albania]], (born 1939), king of Albanians (throne pretender)
*[[Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange]]
*[[Alexander (magician)|Claude Alexander Conlin]] (1880–1954), stage magician
*[[Alexander (The King)|Alexander Melamud]] (1963–Present), King of Baranistan
*Alexander (count of Bergstien, Norway)

===Religious leaders===
*[[Pope Alexander I]], (pope 97–105)
*[[Pope Alexander II]], (pope 1058–1061)
*[[Pope Alexander III]], (pope 1164–1168)
*[[Pope Alexander IV]], (pope 1243–1254)
*[[Pope Alexander V]], ("Peter Philarges" ca. 1339–1410)
*[[Pope Alexander VI]], (1493–1503), Roman pope
*[[Pope Alexander VII]], (1599–1667)
*[[Pope Alexander VIII]], (pope 1689–1691),
*[[Alexander of Constantinople]], bishop of Constantinople (314–337)
*[[Alexander of Alexandria|St. Alexander of Alexandria]], Coptic Pope, Patriarch of Alexandria between 313 and 328
*[[Pope Alexander II of Alexandria]], Coptic Pope (702–729)
*[[Alexander of Lincoln]], bishop of Lincoln
*[[Alexander Essebiensis]] aka Alexander of Ashby, 13th century prior and poet

*See also [[Saint Alexander]], various saints with this name
*[[Alexander Haug Gjernes]], famous preacher from Ski, Norway, who punctured his right lung while relaxing in front of the TV

===Other people===
*[[Alexander (general)]], son of Polyperchon, the regent of Macedonia
*[[Alexander of Aphrodisias]], Greek commentator and philosopher
*[[Alexander of Greece (rhetorician)]]
*[[Alexander of Hales]], 13th-century Medieval theologian
*[[Alexander, le Pargiter]], 13th-century abbot
*[[Paris (mythology)]] aka Alexander, the Trojan prince who kidnapped Helen
*[[Alexandre, Chevalier de Vendôme]] (1598-1629), illegitimate child of [[Henry IV of France]]
* [[Prince Alexander John of Wales]] (1871), short-lived son of [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward VII]]
*[[Alexander Correia,]]
A few other princes have borne the name '''Alexander''':

* [[George V of Hanover]] (1819–1878)
* [[Prince Alfred of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]] (1874–1899)
* [[Prince George, Duke of Kent]] (1902–1942)
* [[Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester]] (1944–)

==People with the surname Alexander==

*[[Barton S. Alexander]] (1819-1878), [[U.S. Army]] [[Brigadier General#United States|brigadier general]], engineer, and officer during the [[American Civil War]].
*[[Caleb Alexander]] (d. 1828), American clergyman, writer, teacher
*[[Christopher Alexander]] (born 1936), Austrian architect
*[[Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander]] (1909-1974), British cryptanalyst, chess player, and chess writer
*[[Dari Alexander]], American news anchor
*[[Douglas Alexander]] (born 1967) , British MP
*[[Edward Porter Alexander]] (1835–1910), officer in the U.S. Army and Confederate States Army
*[[Evan Shelby Alexander]] (1767 - 1809), American politician
*[[F. Matthias Alexander]] (1869 – 1955), Australian actor/orator
*[[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis]] (1891-1969), British Field Marshall in WWII
*[[Horace Alexander]] (1889-1989), English ornithologist
*[[Jason Alexander]], stage name of American actor Jason Scott Greenspan
*[[Jason Allen Alexander]], ex-husband of Britney Spears
*[[John White Alexander]] (1856–1915), American artist
*[[Lamar Alexander]] (born 1940), U.S. Senator from Tennessee
*[[Lincoln Alexander]] (born 1922), Canada's first black Member of Parliament and former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario
*[[Manny Alexander]] (born 1971), baseball player from the Dominican Republic
*[[Monique Alexander]] (born 1982), American porn star
*[[Neil Alexander]] (born 1978), Scottish footballer
*[[Peter Alexander]] (born 1926), Austrian singer and actor
*[[Ross Alexander]] (1907–1937), American actor
*[[Samuel Alexander]] (1859–1938) Australian/British philosopher and essayist
*[[Sarah Alexander]] (born 1971), British actress
*[[Shaun Alexander]] (born 1977), American football player
*[[Wilfred Backhouse Alexander]] (1885-1965), English ornithologist
*[[William Alexander (bishop)]] (1824-1911), [[Primate of All Ireland]]

===Fictional===
*[[Hamish Alexander]], a character in David Weber's Honorverse
*[[Susan Alexander]], the second wife of Charles Foster Kane in ''[[Citizen Kane]]''
*[[Alexander (Summons)]], a summoned avatar from the [[Final Fantasy]] series of games. He is one of the terrestrial avatars in [[Final Fantasy XI]]

==See also==
*{{lookfrom|Alexander}}

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:British Isles surnames]]
{{surname|nocat}}
[[Category:Lists of ambiguous human names]]
[[Category:Given names|Alexander]]
[[mk:Александар]]
[[bg:Александър]]
[[ca:Alexandre]]
[[da:Alexander]]
[[de:Alexander (Begriffsklärung)]]
[[el:Αλέξανδρος]]
[[es:Alejandro]]
[[fr:Alexandre (prénom)]]
[[ko:알렉산더]]
[[hr:Aleksandar]]
[[it:Alessandro]]
[[he:אלכסנדר (פירושונים)]]
[[la:Alexander]]
[[lt:Aleksandras]]
[[hu:Alexander]]
[[nl:Alexander]]
[[ja:アレクサンダー]]
[[no:Aleksander]]
[[pl:Alexander]]
[[pt:Alexandre]]
[[ru:Александр]]
[[sk:Alexander]]
[[sl:Aleksander]]
[[sv:Alexander]]
[[uk:Олександр]]
[[zh:亞歷山大]]

[[Category:English given names]]