Rising since 1986, #3,240 for boys today.
Popularity of Alexei since 1961
Babies named Alexei per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 24 |
| 1970s | 0 | 83 |
| 1980s | 0 | 74 |
| 1990s | 45 | 205 |
| 2000s | 43 | 378 |
| 2010s | 18 | 351 |
| 2020s | 11 | 254 |
Meaning & origin
Alexei is a Russian form of Alexis, rooted in the Greek Alexios meaning 'defender'. While it has been used in the U.S. since at least the 1960s, it remains uncommon: in 2025, it ranked 3,240 with about 1 in 47,447 male births receiving the name. Its popularity has been rising since 1986, and it reached its peak rank in 2021. The name is most frequently given in California and Texas, reflecting concentrations of Russian and Eastern European heritage. Alexei carries a strong cultural resonance linked to Russian nobility and saints, but it fits comfortably into modern American naming, offering a distinctive alternative to the more common Alex or Alexis.
Alexei is the Russian form of Alexis, which derives from the Greek name Alexios (Αλέξιος), meaning 'defender' or 'helper'. The name was borne by several Russian tsars and saints, contributing to its traditional use in Eastern Orthodox cultures. It entered the English-speaking world modestly through immigration and cultural exchange.
Where Alexei is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Alexei” around the world
Where Alexei lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Alyosha, Lyosha, Alex
Sibling names for Alexei
Names that share Alexei's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Anastasia, Natalia, Sofia, Olga, Tatiana, Anya, Asya, Daria, Dasha, Irina, Ivanka, Ivanna, Katya, Mariya, Misha, Nadya, Nakita, Natacha, Natalya, Natasha, Natashia, Nikita, Polina, Sanya, Sasha, Sonya, Tania, Tanya, Tasha, Tasia, Vania, Vanya, Yelena, Yuri, Czarina, Darina, Dima, Ekaterina, Inessa, Iya, Jenia, Nadina, Nadja, Nastasha, Nastasia, Nastassia, Nastassja, Natasia, Natassia, Sonjia, Stasha, Svetlana, Tanyia, Tatia, Tatjana, Yulia, Zarya, Atasha, Danila, Galina, Juliya, Matasha, Mishka, Nasha, Natassja, Natausha, Olia, Sofya, Soniya, Tannya, Tascha, Thanya, Vasilisa, Yury, Zasha, Gelena, Jasha, Jenya, Kseniya, Nastacia, Nastashia, Natash, Natsha, Netasha, Sausha, Shonya, Taisa, Varvara, Venera, Vika, Ysenia, Zhanna
Brothers: Nikolai, Dmitri, Ivan, Mikhail, Andrei, Andrey, Boris, Demitri, Dimitri, Lenin, Maksim, Serge, Vladimir, Adrik, Dimitry, Dmitriy, Dmitry, Georgi, Illya, Ilya, Kaz, Michail, Nicholai, Nickolai, Nikolay, Nikoli, Ruslan, Sergey, Timofey, Ural, Daniil, Mihail, Oleg, Orel, Yuriy, Dimetri, Sergei, Vasily, Vitali
