Lex
Of Greek origin, shortened form of Alexander meaning "defender of men."
Name Census estimates that about 3,237 living Americans carry the first name Lex. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lex today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lex births was 2012 (94 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lex. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
3.2K
~ 1 in 105,886 Americans
Peak year
2012
94 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,216
Tracked since 1892
Gender
Gender distribution for Lex
Out of the 3,949 babies given the name Lex since 1880, 99.6% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Lex as a male name
- Ranked #2,216 in 2024
- 65 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2012 (94 births)
Lex as a female name
- Ranked #16,572 in 2023
- 5 female births in 2023
- Peak: 2016 (5 births)
Popularity
Lex: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lex from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 785 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Lex remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lex by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lex during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lex' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Lex, while Washington, Tennessee, Oklahoma recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 53 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lex
The name Lex has its origins in the Latin language, where it was derived from the word "lex," meaning "law" or "statute." This name has a rich history dating back to ancient Roman times.
In ancient Rome, the term "lex" referred to the legal codes and laws established by various rulers and governing bodies. It was a significant concept in Roman society, as the rule of law was highly valued and formed the foundation of the Roman legal system.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lex can be found in the writings of ancient Roman historians and scholars. For example, the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero often referred to the concept of "lex" in his works, emphasizing its importance in maintaining order and justice within the Roman Republic.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Lex. One of the most famous was Lex Luthor, the iconic villain from the Superman comic book series, who first appeared in Action Comics #23 in 1940. Lex Luthor's character embodied a brilliant but misguided mind, often seeking to challenge the authority and power represented by the heroic Superman.
Another prominent figure named Lex was Lex Barker, an American actor born in 1919 and known for his roles in adventure films and westerns in the 1940s and 1950s. He was particularly famous for portraying the character of Tarzan in several films during that era.
In the world of literature, Lex Berman was an American author and journalist born in 1925. He gained recognition for his critically acclaimed novels, including "The Dastard" and "The Turkish Pasha," which explored themes of adventure and intrigue.
The name Lex has also been associated with notable figures in the field of sports. Lex Luger, born in 1958, was a professional wrestler who achieved fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) during the 1990s, known for his impressive physique and charismatic persona.
Another individual with the name Lex was Lex Frieden, an American disability rights advocate born in 1950. He played a crucial role in the drafting and implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Lex
People
Lex + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lex as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lex: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lex?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3,237 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lex going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 105,886 US residents.
Is Lex a common name?
We classify Lex as "Rare". It ranks above 95.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,949 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lex most popular?
The single biggest year for Lex was 2012, when 94 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lex is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lex a male name?
Yes, 99.6% of people registered as Lex in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.