Names That Mean Defender
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- Alastair
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"defender of men"Description:
To Americans, a quintessential British name, introduced to the U.S. public by suave journalist/PBS Masterpiece Theater host Alastair Cook. Sometimes used in the U.S. by parents with Scottish heritage.
- Alexis
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"defender"Description:
Alexis, a one-time exclusively-boys’ name, was more popular than its sister Alexandra for quite a while, but in recent years Alexandra has overtaken it once again. Alexis was a Top 20 girls’ name from 1994-2010 but has experienced a decline in popularity in recent years, though now it's one of the top unisex names.
- Alessio
Origin:
Italian variation of AlexisMeaning:
"defender"Description:
Alessio, simpler than the related Alessandro, would be a welcome settler here.
- Titan
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"defender"Description:
This name comes from Greek mythology, where the Titans were a band of immortal, powerful giants.
- Alexis
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"defender"Description:
This name leapt into the female column via vixen Alexis Carrington on 'Dynasty" in the 1980s. It's more popular for girls, but it's still a widely used boys' names and is one of the most popular unisex names in the US today.
- Minty
Origin:
English diminutive of Aminta and Araminta, GreekMeaning:
"defender"Description:
Minty isn't a fresh word name — it's an old-fashioned nickname for Araminta, the romantic smoosh name coined by playwright William Congreve in 1693.
- Aminta
Origin:
Literature, GreekMeaning:
"defender"Description:
One of the romantic names favored by British pastoral poets, it was first used as a masculine name by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso for his 16th century play about a shepherd falling in love with a nymph.
- Minette
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"faithful defender"Description:
Frenchified name rarely used in France. And perhaps even more rarely used in the US -- there were NO baby girls given the name on the official records of 2021.
- Alyosha
Origin:
RussianMeaning:
"defender"Description:
Russian diminutive of Alexei, borne by the protagonist in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. Alyosha, like most other Russian diminutive forms, is not generally given as a standalone name in Russia itself.
- Alessa
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"defender of men"Description:
Italian form of Alexa, sometimes short for Alessandra, which sidesteps the Amazon Alexa issue.
- Seward
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"sea defender"Description:
Double whammy: the expression "Seward's folly" and inevitable sewer jokes.
- Aleksey
Origin:
RussianMeaning:
"defender"Description:
Alternative transliteration of Alexei
- Xandra
Origin:
Spanish, diminutive of AlexandraMeaning:
"man's defender"Description:
The initial X is pronounced like a Z. Confusing? Potentially. But there are enough Alexandras and Xanders through the Western World these days that this spelling wouldn't seem outlandish.
- Amyntor
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"defender"Description:
An obscure mythological name which belongs to several minor figures in Greek legend. The father and son of Hephaestion, a close companion of Alexander the Great, also bore the name.
- Oleksandra
Origin:
Ukrainian variation of AlexandraMeaning:
"defender of men"Description:
A variation of Alexandra with Slavic flair.
- Lex
Origin:
Diminutive of Alexis and AlexandraMeaning:
"man's defender"Description:
Lex is still used mostly for boys, but like Alex, may cross over with the rising popularity of all long forms of the name. Lexi is another, more feminine option.
- Aminta
Origin:
Variation of Amyntas, GreekMeaning:
"defender"Description:
Aminta is now considered a feminine name, but it originated as a variation of Amyntas, a name connected to numerous ancient kings. In the 16th century, Torquato Tasso, an Italian poet, wrote a play titled Aminta about a lovestruck shepherd who falls for a beautiful nymph named Silvia.
- Sender
Origin:
YiddishMeaning:
"defender of men"Description:
Also an English surname, Sender derives from Alexander and has an attractive modern sound. Though given to only a handful of baby boys per year, it nevertheless is in step with the brotherhood of er-ending choices fashionable today.
- Zindel
Origin:
Yiddish,"defender of men"Meaning:
"defender of men"Description:
Yiddish form of Alexander.
- Amyntas
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"defender"Description:
Amyntas is derived from the Greek word amyntor, meaning "defender." It was borne by several ancient kings and military leaders.
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