NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Alexis

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "defender" or "helper".

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.

Alexis is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Alexis popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #654, with 59 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 576 births.

This profile covers 5,956 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 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 10% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 7,076 living people in the UK are called Alexis. 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

  • Alexis ranked #654 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 59 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2012, when 576 girls were registered as Alexis.
  • Alexis ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #424 in 2019.
  • About 7,076 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alexis as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 90.8% of Alexis registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#654

2024

Births in 2024

59

Latest year

Peak year

2012

576 births

Estimated living

7,076

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Alexis

In England and Wales birth records, Alexis has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 9.2% of registrations are for boys and 90.8% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

91% girls
Boys607 (9.2%)Girls5,956 (90.8%)

Alexis registered for boys

  • Ranked #1,595 in 2024
  • 16 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2015 (45 births)

Alexis registered for girls

  • Ranked #654 in 2024
  • 59 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2012 (576 births)

Meaning

What does Alexis mean?

The name Alexis originated from the Greek language and culture. It is derived from the Greek word "alexo", meaning "to defend" or "to help". The name first appeared in ancient Greece around the 5th century BC.

In ancient Greek mythology, Alexis was the name of a young man who was loved by the poet Virgil. The name is also associated with the Greek goddess Alexiara, who was known as the protector against illness and disease.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Alexis is found in the writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. In his work "Symposium", Plato mentions a character named Alexis who was a young man of great beauty.

Another early historical figure with the name Alexis was Alexis Comnenus, who was a Byzantine prince and military leader in the 11th century AD. He played a significant role in the defense of the Byzantine Empire against the Seljuk Turks.

During the Renaissance period, the name Alexis gained popularity in Europe. One notable figure was Alexis Piemontese, an Italian philosopher and theologian who lived in the 15th century. He wrote several works on moral philosophy and theology.

In the 17th century, Alexis I, also known as Alexis Mikhailovich, was the Tsar of Russia from 1645 to 1676. He was known for his efforts to modernize and westernize Russia, and for his involvement in the Russo-Polish War.

Another famous historical figure with the name Alexis was Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political thinker and historian who lived in the 19th century. He is best known for his work "Democracy in America", which analyzed the American political system and society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Alexis over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Alexis in England and Wales, from 1996 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 Alexis, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 59 births in 2024, compared with 576 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
0150299449598199620102024

Decades

Alexis by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alexis 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 #641 307 5
2010s #185 3,761 10
2000s #323 1,676 10
1990s #520 212 4

Geography

Where Alexis is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Alexis. 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.

Alexis ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #424 in 2019.

Scotland
5
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Alexis in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#541 in 2024

49 years of NRS records, 968 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#424 in 2019

15 years of NISRA records, 193 total registered

Related

Names similar to Alexis

FAQ

Alexis: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Alexis was ranked #654 for girls in England and Wales, with 59 births registered.

When was Alexis most popular?

The peak year on record was 2012, with 576 babies registered as Alexis in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Alexis?

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "defender" or "helper".

How many people are called Alexis in the UK?

A total of 5,956 babies have been registered as Alexis across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 968 more in Scotland and 193 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Alexis most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Alexis ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #424 in 2019. 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.