Alec
Boy name · Celtic · Greek · Scottish
Meaningdefender of men · Scottish form of Alexander
- US rank
- #977
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #109 in 1994
234 babies were named Alec in the US in 2025. It has dropped 389 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1984–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Alec you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Alec
Alec Benjamin
American singer-songwriter
Choose Alec and your child shares a first name with Alec Benjamin, an American singer-songwriter. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Alec, like who?” Alec Benjamin's Wikipedia article is available in 35 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Alec Benjamin on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Atlantic Records, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 7,299 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Alec, 234 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Alec would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryAlec has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Alecs, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1994, when it ranked #109. Today it's #977, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowAlec was 9.2× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 792 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 7,299.
- TrendAlec has slipped 389 places over the last five years and now sits at #977. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedAlec is most popular in Oklahoma, where it ranks #504, followed by Arizona (#634) and California (#699). It's in the top 1,000 in 11 states.
- MeaningAlec is a Scottish form of Alexander, which means “defender of men”. Our records link it to Celtic, Greek and Scottish roots.
About the name Alec
Alec is a boy name of Celtic, Greek and Scottish origin meaning “defender of men”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with A and ending in “-lec”. US birth records list Alec for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 144 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1994, when it ranked #109 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #977, with 234 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesGreek namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.5 | 182,371 girls |
| 1990s | 12 | 83,963 girls |
| 2000s | 3.0 | 337,838 girls |
| 2010s | 0.9 | 1,129,032 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 60 | 16,642 boys |
| 1890s | 54 | 18,553 boys |
| 1900s | 76 | 13,243 boys |
| 1910s | 65 | 15,302 boys |
| 1920s | 47 | 21,473 boys |
| 1930s | 28 | 35,323 boys |
| 1940s | 29 | 34,106 boys |
| 1950s | 32 | 31,143 boys |
| 1960s | 51 | 19,573 boys |
| 1970s | 54 | 18,365 boys |
| 1980s | 160 | 6,245 boys |
| 1990s | 1,343 | 745 boys |
| 2000s | 693 | 1,444 boys |
| 2010s | 323 | 3,097 boys |
| 2020s | 193 | 5,177 boys |
Other spellings of Alec
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
Questions about the name Alec
What does the name Alec mean?
Alec means “defender of men” in Scottish, as a form of Alexander.
What is the origin of the name Alec?
Alec has Celtic, Greek, Scottish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Alec a boy or girl name?
Alec is a boy name.
How popular is the name Alec?
Alec ranked #977 for US boys in 2025, given to 234 babies. Its best year was 1994 (#109).