Alexei first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Alexei has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Alexei

A masculine Greek name meaning "the one who defends".

Popularity of Alexei by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Alexei is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 91% of people named Alexei being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 34 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Alexei.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 34 0
2022 45 6
2021 51 5
2020 41 0
2019 47 0
2018 37 0
2017 37 0
2016 34 0
2015 39 6
2014 35 0
2013 32 0
2012 25 0
2011 29 5
2010 36 7
2009 29 0
2008 40 5
2007 27 6
2006 38 0
2005 45 0
2004 34 8
2003 35 5
2002 34 8
2001 48 5
2000 48 6
1999 27 7
1998 35 12
1997 30 9
1996 23 10
1995 19 0
1994 25 0
1993 18 7
1992 18 0
1991 5 0
1990 5 0
1989 8 0
1988 11 0
1987 8 0
1986 8 0
1984 9 0
1983 8 0
1982 13 0
1980 9 0
1979 8 0
1978 11 0
1977 10 0
1976 5 0
1975 13 0
1974 7 0

The history of the first name Alexei

The name Alexei is a masculine given name of Russian origin. It is derived from the Greek name Alexios, which in turn comes from the Greek word "alexo" meaning "to defend" or "to protect." The name Alexei has been in use in Russia and other Slavic countries for centuries.

In the 10th century, the name Alexei gained significance after the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos, who ruled from 1081 to 1118. This helped popularize the name in Eastern Europe and the Orthodox Christian world. It was also the name of several Russian tsars and grand dukes, adding to its prestige and widespread use.

One of the most famous historical figures with the name Alexei was Alexei Mikhailovich, who was the Tsar of Russia from 1645 to 1676. He is credited with creating the first Russian navy and expanding the Russian Empire. Another notable Alexei was Alexei Petrovich, the son of Peter the Great, who was born in 1690 and died in 1718.

In the 19th century, the name Alexei was associated with the Russian author Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy, who was born in 1817 and died in 1875. He is best known for his historical novel "Prince Serebrenni" and his satirical works.

Another famous Alexei was Alexei Nikolayevich Kosygin, who served as the Prime Minister of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1980. He played a crucial role in the Soviet economy and foreign policy during the Cold War era.

In more recent times, the name Alexei has been carried by several notable figures, including the Russian businessman Alexei Anatolievich Navalny, who is a prominent opposition leader and anti-corruption activist. Alexei Yagudin, an Olympic figure skating champion from Russia, was born in 1980 and won the gold medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Alexei was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Alexei, please contact us.

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"Alexei first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on April 24, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/alexei-meaning-and-history/.

"Alexei first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/alexei-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 24 April, 2025

Alexei first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/alexei-meaning-and-history/.

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