Alexis
/əˈlɛksɪs/noun
A given name used for people of any gender, derived from Greek and meaning a defender or helper.
Did you know?Saint Alexis of Rome became the subject of a dramatic medieval legend in which he secretly lived beneath his wealthy family’s staircase as an ascetic.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀλέξω (aléxō)
“To ward off, keep away, defend, or protect”
5th–4th Century BCE
Greek
Ἀλέξιος (Aléxios)
“Defender or one who protects”
Late Antiquity
Greek
Ἀλέξις (Alexis)
“A personal name meaning defender or helper”
Late Latin
Latin
Alexius
“The Latinized form of the Greek personal name”
Old French
Old French
Alexis
“The name of Saint Alexis, preserved in medieval religious literature”
Modern English
English
Alexis
“A given name used for all genders”
Explore more surprising origins