The name Alix has its origins in the Germanic languages, derived from the name Adalrix, meaning "noble ruler." It first appeared during the Middle Ages in regions where Germanic tribes settled, such as present-day France, Germany, and the Low Countries.

The name Alix gained prominence in the 12th century when Alix of Burgundy, daughter of Duke Odo II of Burgundy, married Peter II of Courtenay in 1184. Alix was an influential figure during the Crusades, accompanying her husband on the Fourth Crusade and later ruling as regent of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.

Another notable Alix was Alix of Thouars, Duchess of Brittany, who lived from around 1201 to 1221. She was a key figure in the succession disputes over the Duchy of Brittany and played a significant role in the region's political affairs during her lifetime.

In literature, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alix appears in the 12th-century French romance "Erec and Enide" by Chrétien de Troyes. The character Alix is mentioned as a noblewoman attending the court of King Arthur.

During the Renaissance, Alix de Chassey was a 16th-century French noblewoman and one of the earliest known female poets in France. Her work, while not widely known today, was celebrated in her time and contributed to the development of French literature.

In more recent history, Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, born in 1872, was a German princess who married Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. As the last Tsarina of Russia, she played a significant role in the events leading up to the Russian Revolution and the fall of the Romanov dynasty.