girl's name
Alessandra
al-uh-SAHN-druh (English)
- Origin Greek, Italian
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 4
- Letters 10
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 28,014
the United States
#444
2025 births
Alessandra is a girl's name meaning "defender of the people." It's the Italian form of Alexandra, from the Greek alexein, "to defend," and aner, "man," and it's used widely in Italy, Brazil and among Italian American families.
- Alessandra is a name of Greek, Italian origin.
- Peaked in 2015, when 1,141 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 4,757 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1943.
- 4 syllables, with the stress on syllable 3.
Alessandra Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1940s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 17 |
| 1950s | 51 |
| 1960s | 177 |
| 1970s | 335 |
| 1980s | 1,135 |
| 1990s | 2,518 |
| 2000s | 5,989 |
| 2010s | 9,951 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 4,663 |
What Alessandra Means
Alessandra means defender of men or defender of the people. It carries the fame of Alexander the Great into a feminine form, with an elegant Italian sound.
Where Alessandra Comes From
Greek Alexandros joined alexein, to ward off, with andros, of a man. Alexandra existed as a feminine form in ancient Greece and was also an epithet of the goddess Hera. Latin carried the name to Italy, where the x softened to a double s, producing Alessandro and Alessandra. The name took hold in Renaissance Italy, with Alessandra Macinghi Strozzi, a Florentine letter writer of the fifteenth century, among its famous bearers. It spread to Portuguese-speaking Brazil, where immigrants of Italian origin were numerous. English speakers usually know it through models and actresses.
Alessandra in Use
Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio is among its best-known bearers today. Short forms include Sandra, Alessa and Ale.
How Popular Is Alessandra?
In 2025, Alessandra was given to 697 babies in the United States, ranking #444 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Alessandra Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Alessandra
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Alessandra Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Alessandra over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Alessandra
- English al-uh-SAHN-druh
2 nicknames for Alessandra
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Alessandra in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Asturian
- Alexandra
- Bulgarian
- Aleksandra
- Catalan
- Alexandra
- Czech
- Alexandra
- Dutch
- Alexandra
- Galician
- Alexandra
- Greek
- Alexandra
- Italian
- Alessandro
- Latvian
- Aleksandra
- Polish
- Aleksandra
- Russian
- Aleksandra
- Serbian
- Aleksandra
- Serbo-Croatian
- Aleksandra
- Slovak
- Alexandra
- Slovene
- Aleksandra
Sibling Names for Alessandra
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Alessandra — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Alessandra
What does the name Alessandra mean?
Defender of the people, the same as Alexandra.
Is Alessandra an Italian name?
Yes. It's the Italian form of Alexandra.
How do you pronounce Alessandra?
ah-less-SAHN-drah.
How popular is the name Alessandra?
In 2025, Alessandra was given to 697 babies in the United States, ranking #444 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Alessandra a girl's or a boy's name?
Alessandra is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Alessandra?
Alessandra has 4 syllables.
When was Alessandra most popular?
Alessandra peaked in 2015, when 1,141 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Alessandra?
Alessandra is usually shortened to Sandra and Alessa.
Is Alessandra a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Alessandra currently ranks #444 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.