NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Aleks

A masculine form of the Greek name Alexandros meaning "defending men".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Aleks is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Aleks popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 26 births.

This profile covers 333 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 2004 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 19% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 348 living people in the UK are called Aleks. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Aleks ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2011, when 26 boys were registered as Aleks.
  • Aleks ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #416 in 2018.
  • About 348 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aleks as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3688

2024

Births in 2024

5

Latest year

Peak year

2011

26 births

Estimated living

348

2026

Meaning

What does Aleks mean?

The name Aleks originates from the Greek language and culture, with its roots traceable to the 4th century BC. It is a shortened form of the name Alexander, which is derived from the Greek words "alexein" meaning "to defend" and "andros" meaning "man." This combination creates the meaning "defender of men" or "protector of men."

Aleks gained prominence in ancient Greek mythology, where it was associated with Alexander the Great, the celebrated Macedonian king and conqueror who lived from 356-323 BC. His legendary military campaigns and conquests across Asia and North Africa contributed to the widespread dissemination of the name throughout the regions he conquered.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aleks can be found in the works of the ancient Greek historian Plutarch, who chronicled the life of Alexander the Great in his famous work "Parallel Lives." Plutarch's detailed accounts of Alexander's exploits and leadership helped solidify the name's association with strength, courage, and military prowess.

Over the centuries, the name Aleks has been borne by numerous notable figures across various fields. One of the most famous was Aleks Petöfi, a Hungarian poet and revolutionary who lived from 1823 to 1849. His fiery patriotic verses and active participation in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 earned him a revered place in his nation's history.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Aleks Famintsyn, a Russian botanist and plant physiologist who lived from 1835 to 1918. His pioneering research on plant respiration and photosynthesis made significant contributions to the field of plant biology.

In the realm of sports, Aleks Koroljuk, a Ukrainian gymnast born in 1947, achieved remarkable success, winning multiple Olympic gold medals and cementing his place as one of the most accomplished gymnasts of his era.

The name Aleks has also been associated with notable literary figures, such as Aleks Remizov, a Russian writer and artist who lived from 1877 to 1957. His experimental prose and avant-garde style influenced the development of modern Russian literature.

Lastly, Aleks Petrovič, a Belarusian artist and painter who lived from 1892 to 1962, gained recognition for his distinctive cubist and expressionist works, which captured the essence of the Belarusian cultural identity.

These are just a few examples of the diverse individuals who have borne the name Aleks throughout history, each contributing to its enduring legacy and significance across various cultural and intellectual realms.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Aleks over time

The chart below shows babies named Aleks registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Aleks, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Aleks
07132026200420142024

Decades

Aleks by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aleks was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #1985 71 5
2010s #1208 217 10
2000s #2306 45 5

Geography

Where Aleks is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Aleks. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Aleks ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #416 in 2018.

Scotland
4
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Aleks in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#587 in 2014

4 years of NRS records, 14 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#416 in 2018

1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered

Related

Names similar to Aleks

FAQ

Aleks: questions and answers

How popular is the name Aleks in the UK right now?

In 2024, Aleks was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Aleks most popular?

The peak year on record was 2011, with 26 babies registered as Aleks in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Aleks?

A masculine form of the Greek name Alexandros meaning "defending men".

How many people are called Aleks in the UK?

A total of 333 babies have been registered as Aleks across the 20 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 14 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Aleks most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Aleks ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #416 in 2018. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.