Fun Facts About the Name Aleksej
- 29 babies named Aleksej: U.S. records list 29 babies given the name Aleksej from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Aleksej Mean?
Aleksej is a form of the Greek name Alexios (Ἀλέξιος), meaning "defender" or "helper." The Greek name comes from the verb alexein (ἀλέξω), "to ward off, defend, help." The ending -ej reflects a Slavic or Slavic-influenced spelling: the Greek -ios and Latin -ius correspond to -ej, with j standing for the y sound. Aleksej is not a separate name with a different etymology; it belongs to the same family as Russian Алексей (Aleksey), Ukrainian Олексій (Oleksii), and Serbian Алексеј (Aleksej). In Scandinavian usage, the spelling is also used for the same name.
Aleksej Name History & Origins
The Greek name Alexios was used in the Byzantine Empire and was borne by several emperors, including Alexios I Komnenos (reigned 1081 - 1118). From Greek it passed into Latin as Alexius, and through Christian devotion - especially the cult of Saint Alexius - it spread in both Eastern and Western Christian traditions. In Slavic-speaking lands, the name took forms such as Russian Алексей (Aleksey), Serbian Алексеј (Aleksej), and Ukrainian Олексій (Oleksii). The spelling Aleksej is the Latin-alphabet form used for the Serbian and Macedonian Cyrillic name and is also found in Scandinavian usage as a variant or transliteration of the same name. In Russia, the name was borne by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (reigned 1645 - 1676) and by his grandson Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich (1690 - 1718), son of Peter the Great. The Russian form appears in literature as Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov (1879 - 1880), a literary use of a long-established name. In modern times, the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny (1976 - 2024) has been widely called Aleksej in Scandinavian and some Slavic Latin-script reporting.
How Popular is the Name Aleksej?
Aleksej has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #9,762 in 2025.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,762 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #10,958 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #10,845 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #12,215 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #12,236 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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.
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How the Name Aleksej Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Aleksej's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Aleksej's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.