Where does “Alex” come from?
Alex is a shortened form of Alexander, from Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), a name composed of ἀνδρός (andros), meaning "of a man," and a root meaning "to ward off."
Ancestry of “Alex”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Alexandria | famed for its ancient library and lighthouse |
| 2 | Latin | Alexandrea | Alexandria several cities in the Hellenistic world, but most especially an ancient capital of Egypt |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | Ἀλεξάνδρεια | Alexandria |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | Ἀλέξανδρος | Alexander |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἀλέξω | to keep off, turn aside; to guard, protect,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἀνδρός | genitive singular of ἀνήρ; man; of man |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἀνήρ | man; husband; human being, as opposed to a god |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | *anḗr | man |