boy's name
Alessandro
al-eh-SAHN-droh
- Origin Greek, Italian
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 4
- Letters 10
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 20,180
the United States
#497
2025 births
Alessandro is a boy's name meaning "defender of men." It's the Italian form of Alexander, from the Greek alexein, "to defend," and aner, "man," and it has been a favorite Italian name since the Renaissance.
- Alessandro is a name of Greek, Italian origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 608 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,453 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1933.
- 4 syllables, with the stress on syllable 3.
Alessandro Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1930s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1930s | 5 |
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 38 |
| 1960s | 133 |
| 1970s | 273 |
| 1980s | 492 |
| 1990s | 1,081 |
| 2000s | 2,932 |
| 2010s | 3,910 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,133 |
What Alessandro Means
Alessandro means defender of men or protector of the people. It carries the prestige of Alexander the Great in a musical Italian form, which is the source of its appeal abroad.
Where Alessandro Comes From
Greek Alexandros passed into Latin as Alexander, and Italian softened the x into a double s, with a final -o marking the masculine. Medieval Italians took it up widely, helped by popes named Alexander. The Medici family gave it a darker fame through Alessandro de' Medici, the first Duke of Florence. Italian writers and scientists kept it prominent, including novelist Alessandro Manzoni and physicist Alessandro Volta, whose surname gave us the volt. Immigration took the name to the Americas, and records from France, the United States, and England and Wales all show it today.
Alessandro in Use
Modern bearers include footballer Alessandro Del Piero and actor Alessandro Nivola. Sandro and Alex are the usual everyday forms.
How Popular Is Alessandro?
In 2025, Alessandro was given to 608 babies in the United States, ranking #497 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Alessandro 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 Alessandro
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Alessandro Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Alessandro over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Alessandro
- Pronunciation al-eh-SAHN-droh
2 nicknames for Alessandro
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.
Alessandro 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.
- Brazilian Portuguese
- Alexsandro
- Bulgarian
- Aleksandar
- Croatian
- Aleksandar
- Danish
- Alexander
- Dutch
- Alexander
- Estonian
- Aleksandr
- German
- Alexander
- Icelandic
- Alexander
- Italian
- Alessandra
- Latin
- Alexander
- Latvian
- Aleksandrs
- Lithuanian
- Aleksandras
- Macedonian
- Aleksandar
- Norwegian
- Alexander
- Polish
- Aleks
- Russian
- Aleksandr
- Serbian
- Aleksandar
- Serbo-Croatian
- Aleksandar
- Slovak
- Alexander
- Slovene
- Aleksandar Aleks
- Swedish
- Alexander
- Ukrainian
- Oleksandr
Sibling Names for Alessandro
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Alessandro — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Alessandro
What does the name Alessandro mean?
Defender of men, the same as Alexander.
Is Alessandro an Italian name?
Yes. It's the Italian form of Alexander.
What is a nickname for Alessandro?
Sandro and Alex are common.
How popular is the name Alessandro?
In 2025, Alessandro was given to 608 babies in the United States, ranking #497 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Alessandro a girl's or a boy's name?
Alessandro is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Alessandro?
Alessandro has 4 syllables.
When was Alessandro most popular?
Alessandro peaked in 2025, when 608 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Alessandro a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Alessandro currently ranks #497 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.