Fun Facts About the Name Alec
- More than 55 thousand babies named Alec: U.S. records list 55,487 babies given the name Alec from 1880 through 2025. Even 337 girls received the name Alec - about 1 girl for every 164 boys.
What Does the Name Alec Mean?
Alec is an English short form of Alexander, a name of Greek origin. Alexander comes from the Greek Alexandros, formed from alexein, "to ward off" or "to defend," and anēr (genitive andros), "man." The components together literally suggest "defending men" or "warder-off of men," and the customary English rendering is "defender of men." Alec has no separate root of its own: it carries the meaning of Alexander rather than a distinct etymology.
Alec Name History & Origins
Alexander was a widespread name in the Greek world and passed into Latin and then into the languages of Europe, helped along by early Christian saints and by several popes who bore it. It entered English through Latin Alexander. In Scotland the name was long common and took the Gaelic form Alasdair; shortened, familiar forms of Alexander in Scotland and northern England include Alec, Alick, Sandy, and Eck. Alec belongs to this group of pet forms rather than being a name with a separate origin.
Over time Alec also came to be written on its own as a given name, not only as a nickname for Alexander. It appears in literature - for example, Alec d'Urberville in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891) - but such uses draw on the name's existing currency rather than accounting for its origin. Closely related names include Alex, another shortening of Alexander, and Alistair, an anglicized Scottish form of Alasdair.
How Popular is the Name Alec?
Alec recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1995. Its best rank was #109 in 1994.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | #14,420 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #17,129 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #15,476 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #13,072 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #16,207 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #9,702 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #13,661 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #8,778 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #9,911 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #7,254 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #4,638 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1997 | #6,496 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1996 | #4,311 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1995 | #3,090 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1994 | #3,894 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1993 | #4,101 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1992 | #6,013 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #4,814 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1990 | #5,554 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1989 | #5,841 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1988 | #4,654 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1987 | #8,796 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #9,568 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #8,340 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #9,162 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #977 | 234 | 0.0137% |
| 2024 | #878 | 273 | 0.0159% |
| 2023 | #841 | 289 | 0.0169% |
| 2022 | #744 | 346 | 0.0198% |
| 2021 | #682 | 390 | 0.0223% |
| 2020 | #588 | 470 | 0.0272% |
| 2019 | #543 | 518 | 0.0289% |
| 2018 | #540 | 520 | 0.0286% |
| 2017 | #506 | 575 | 0.0311% |
| 2016 | #492 | 616 | 0.0325% |
| 2015 | #456 | 665 | 0.0347% |
| 2014 | #467 | 624 | 0.0325% |
| 2013 | #453 | 626 | 0.0331% |
| 2012 | #449 | 606 | 0.0320% |
| 2011 | #421 | 659 | 0.0347% |
| 2010 | #417 | 669 | 0.0349% |
| 2009 | #406 | 730 | 0.0368% |
| 2008 | #389 | 774 | 0.0379% |
| 2007 | #363 | 872 | 0.0420% |
| 2006 | #329 | 982 | 0.0478% |
| 2005 | #292 | 1,127 | 0.0564% |
| 2004 | #246 | 1,333 | 0.0672% |
| 2003 | #226 | 1,526 | 0.0773% |
| 2002 | #206 | 1,749 | 0.0901% |
| 2001 | #173 | 2,155 | 0.1109% |
| 2000 | #156 | 2,479 | 0.1262% |
| 1999 | #132 | 2,892 | 0.1506% |
| 1998 | #112 | 3,356 | 0.1756% |
| 1997 | #123 | 3,137 | 0.1664% |
| 1996 | #117 | 3,308 | 0.1746% |
| 1995 | #112 | 3,420 | 0.1797% |
| 1994 | #109 | 3,322 | 0.1720% |
| 1993 | #154 | 2,090 | 0.1066% |
| 1992 | #172 | 1,866 | 0.0934% |
| 1991 | #199 | 1,539 | 0.0762% |
| 1990 | #271 | 978 | 0.0476% |
| 1989 | #371 | 603 | 0.0301% |
| 1988 | #438 | 426 | 0.0223% |
| 1987 | #413 | 446 | 0.0239% |
| 1986 | #447 | 377 | 0.0205% |
| 1985 | #513 | 290 | 0.0157% |
| 1984 | #548 | 252 | 0.0140% |
| 1983 | #601 | 203 | 0.0113% |
| 1982 | #717 | 147 | 0.0081% |
| 1981 | #760 | 132 | 0.0074% |
| 1980 | #782 | 125 | 0.0070% |
| 1979 | #917 | 91 | 0.0053% |
| 1978 | #874 | 97 | 0.0059% |
| 1977 | #873 | 94 | 0.0057% |
| 1976 | #845 | 97 | 0.0062% |
| 1975 | #916 | 80 | 0.0051% |
| 1974 | #1,066 | 60 | 0.0038% |
| 1973 | #860 | 85 | 0.0055% |
| 1972 | #856 | 88 | 0.0054% |
| 1971 | #786 | 105 | 0.0059% |
| 1970 | #796 | 105 | 0.0057% |
| 1969 | #797 | 94 | 0.0053% |
| 1968 | #748 | 98 | 0.0056% |
| 1967 | #761 | 93 | 0.0053% |
| 1966 | #683 | 117 | 0.0066% |
| 1965 | #692 | 116 | 0.0062% |
| 1964 | #722 | 114 | 0.0057% |
| 1963 | #863 | 76 | 0.0037% |
| 1962 | #879 | 75 | 0.0036% |
| 1961 | #797 | 91 | 0.0043% |
| 1960 | #764 | 100 | 0.0047% |
| 1959 | #773 | 98 | 0.0046% |
| 1958 | #828 | 82 | 0.0039% |
| 1957 | #861 | 76 | 0.0035% |
| 1956 | #865 | 75 | 0.0035% |
| 1955 | #1,023 | 54 | 0.0026% |
| 1954 | #1,151 | 42 | 0.0021% |
| 1953 | #1,015 | 51 | 0.0026% |
| 1952 | #836 | 70 | 0.0036% |
| 1951 | #943 | 55 | 0.0029% |
| 1950 | #977 | 50 | 0.0028% |
| 1949 | #946 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 1948 | #923 | 56 | 0.0032% |
| 1947 | #831 | 70 | 0.0038% |
| 1946 | #912 | 53 | 0.0033% |
| 1945 | #1,078 | 36 | 0.0027% |
| 1944 | #1,135 | 34 | 0.0025% |
| 1943 | #1,170 | 34 | 0.0024% |
| 1942 | #1,090 | 39 | 0.0028% |
| 1941 | #1,091 | 36 | 0.0029% |
| 1940 | #1,183 | 32 | 0.0028% |
| 1939 | #1,194 | 30 | 0.0027% |
| 1938 | #1,337 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1937 | #1,032 | 38 | 0.0036% |
| 1936 | #1,243 | 28 | 0.0027% |
| 1935 | #1,422 | 23 | 0.0022% |
| 1934 | #1,173 | 32 | 0.0031% |
| 1933 | #1,160 | 32 | 0.0032% |
| 1932 | #1,175 | 33 | 0.0032% |
| 1931 | #1,539 | 21 | 0.0020% |
| 1930 | #1,151 | 37 | 0.0034% |
| 1929 | #1,414 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1928 | #1,211 | 35 | 0.0032% |
| 1927 | #939 | 54 | 0.0048% |
| 1926 | #1,064 | 43 | 0.0039% |
| 1925 | #924 | 53 | 0.0047% |
| 1924 | #993 | 50 | 0.0044% |
| 1923 | #913 | 56 | 0.0051% |
| 1922 | #891 | 60 | 0.0055% |
| 1921 | #825 | 69 | 0.0063% |
| 1920 | #816 | 67 | 0.0063% |
| 1919 | #850 | 60 | 0.0061% |
| 1918 | #856 | 59 | 0.0058% |
| 1917 | #749 | 69 | 0.0075% |
| 1916 | #1,072 | 36 | 0.0040% |
| 1915 | #804 | 57 | 0.0067% |
| 1914 | #770 | 47 | 0.0072% |
| 1913 | #777 | 37 | 0.0072% |
| 1912 | #1,000 | 21 | 0.0049% |
| 1911 | #857 | 15 | 0.0066% |
| 1910 | #708 | 18 | 0.0093% |
| 1909 | #714 | 15 | 0.0091% |
| 1908 | #880 | 10 | 0.0065% |
| 1907 | #817 | 11 | 0.0075% |
| 1906 | #1,114 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1905 | #700 | 12 | 0.0091% |
| 1904 | #612 | 14 | 0.0109% |
| 1903 | #912 | 7 | 0.0059% |
| 1902 | #795 | 9 | 0.0073% |
| 1901 | #1,059 | 5 | 0.0047% |
| 1900 | #650 | 15 | 0.0100% |
| 1899 | #1,055 | 5 | 0.0047% |
| 1897 | #943 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1896 | #641 | 12 | 0.0100% |
| 1895 | #1,082 | 5 | 0.0043% |
| 1894 | #956 | 6 | 0.0052% |
| 1893 | #1,039 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1892 | #1,068 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1891 | #842 | 6 | 0.0059% |
| 1890 | #603 | 11 | 0.0099% |
| 1888 | #704 | 9 | 0.0074% |
| 1887 | #928 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1886 | #963 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1885 | #641 | 9 | 0.0083% |
| 1884 | #767 | 7 | 0.0061% |
| 1883 | #894 | 5 | 0.0048% |
| 1882 | #693 | 8 | 0.0070% |
| 1881 | #708 | 7 | 0.0069% |
| 1880 | #571 | 11 | 0.0100% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
