Declining since 2006, #8,243 for boys today.
Popularity of Alexandru since 1981
Babies named Alexandru per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2006, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Alexandru's real moment was 2014.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 10 |
| 1990s | 75 |
| 2000s | 243 |
| 2010s | 231 |
| 2020s | 55 |
Meaning & origin
Alexandru is the Romanian form of the classic Alexander, a name meaning 'defender of men.' In the United States, it has been in use since at least 1981, when it first appeared in Social Security records. Its popularity peaked in 2014, making that year the name's highest rank among newborns. Since 2006, however, its trajectory has been falling, and in 2025 it ranked 8,243 with an incidence of 1 in 189,786 births. Though primarily associated with Romanian-speaking families, Alexandru remains a distinctive alternative to the more common Alexander, especially in communities with Eastern European heritage. The name has appeared among top states though not in the top 10 for any single state, reflecting its relatively rare but steady usage across the country.
Alexandru is the Romanian form of Alexander, from the Greek Alexandros, composed of alexein (to defend) and aner (man). It entered Romanian through Byzantine Greek and has been widely used in the region for centuries, though it saw increased popularity in the late 20th century.
“Alexandru” around the world
Where Alexandru lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
30
babies in 2024
Ireland
9
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Alex, Andru, Sandu
Sibling names for Alexandru
Names that share Alexandru's style, for a brother or sister.
