Unisex · #2,902 in 2026

Alexei

Alexey is a Russian male given name derived from the Greek Aléxios (Αλέξιος), meaning "Defender", and thus of the same origin as the Latin Alexius.

Current Rank
#2,902
Peak Rank
#2,087 (2021)
Total Babies
1K
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #7,532 (117 total)
👦 Boy peak #2,087 (1K total)
👦As Boy Name
1961
First Year
2026
Last Year
2021
Peak Year
#2087
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
58
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1993
First Year
2022
Last Year
1998
Peak Year
#7532
Peak Rank
117
Total Count
17
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Alexei

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Alexey is a Russian male given name derived from the Greek Aléxios (Αλέξιος), meaning "Defender", and thus of the same origin as the Latin Alexius.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Alexei

As a girl name

Alexei first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1993, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1998, when 12 Alexeis were born — ranking #7,532 that year. As of 2026, Alexei ranks #13,584 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 117 Alexeis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Alexei first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1961, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 51 Alexeis were born — ranking #2,552 that year. As of 2026, Alexei ranks #2,902 for boys with 43 births, holding steady (+0%). In total, more than 1K Alexeis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Alexei

Phonetically similar names — useful when Alexei is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Alexei

What does the name Alexei mean?
Alexey is a Russian male given name derived from the Greek Aléxios (Αλέξιος), meaning "Defender", and thus of the same origin as the Latin Alexius.
How popular is Alexei in 2026?
In 2026, Alexei ranks #2,902 among boys' names in the U.S., with 43 babies given the name that year.
When was Alexei most popular?
Alexei reached its peak popularity in 2021, ranking #2,087 that year with 51 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Alexei most popular?
Alexei has historically been most popular in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Alexei.
Is Alexei a unisex name?
Yes — Alexei is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 8% of Alexeis assigned female and 92% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Alexei?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Alexei include Jerardo, Drevon, Harvest. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Alexei

Alexei is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1961 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Alexei's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #2,087. Use the chart and map above to compare Alexei's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.