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| Pronunciation | /əˈlɛksɪs/ |
|---|---|
| Gender | Unisex (originally male) |
| Language(s) | Greek |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | "helper, defender" |
| Other names | |
| See also | Alexius, Aleixo, Alexios, Alexey, Alexander, Alexandra, Alex, Lexi |
Alexis is a given name of Greek origin. Like the name Alexander, Alexis derives from the Greek verb: ἀλέξειν, romanized: aléxein, lit. 'defend'.
While the name is traditionally male, it has been predominantly given to females in the United States since at least the 1940s, when actress Alexis Smith began appearing in films.[1] It has been among the top 50 most popular names for girls in the United States since 1990. In the 2008 book 5-Star Baby Name Advisor, author Bruce Lansky writes that the girls' name has the image of a "sexy and seductive knockout."[2] The increase in popularity of the name is sometimes attributed to the notable character Alexis Colby from the American television series Dynasty. A 1978 film, Ice Castles, featured as the main character a blind figure skater named Alexis "Lexie" Winston.
Aleksi, a Finnish variant, was the third most popular name for boys born in Finland in 2007.[3] Alessia, an Italian feminine variant, was the second most common name for girls born in Italy in 2006.[4] Alesia, a feminine variant, and Aleksio, a masculine variant, are currently popular names for boys and girls in Albania.[citation needed]
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford paperback reference. Oxford University Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1. OCLC 67869278. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ Lansky, p. 16
- ^ Helsingin Sanomat, October 16, 2007.Aino and Eetu top list of most popular children's names. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
- ^ Rosenkrantz, Linda, and Satran, Pamela Redmond (2008). Cool Names for Babies. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0-312-37786-1, p. 21