Alec
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Alec
Alec, a clipped British short form of Alexander, is less fresh than Alex, but leans more off-beat classic than Xander. Used since at least the 19th-century, Alec became particularly popular in the English-speaking world during the 1990s, possibly following actor Alec Baldwin's appearance in the movies Beetlejuice (1988) and The Hunt for Red October (1990).
Alec for boys#977 US
Used as both a full name and as a nickname, it has also been notably borne by actor Alec Guinness, writer Alec Waugh, and cricketer Alec Stewart. It's got literary credentials too, appearing in Maurice by E.M Forster, while in fiction more generally it has been used in Twilight, The Shadowhunters, GoldenEye, and Broarchurch.
Sharing the same strong meaning as long-form Alexander ("defending men"), Alec has been declining in recent years, possibly because it could easily get misheard as Alex, or because the aforementioned Alec Baldwin was accused (and later cleared) of involuntary manslaughter after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed during filming in 2021.
Ranking at #977 in the US in a recent year, it was chosen by Vice President J.D Vance and his wife Usha for their son, born in 2026. For some, this may spark renewed interest in the name, though others may be further put off.
Alec for girls
A Scottish variation or a English diminutive of the classic Alexander, Alec is used almost exclusively on boys, though a handful of girls have been given the since the 1980s. While this could be down to data entry errors, if Alex can work, an Alexandra nicknamed Alec isn't out of the question.
Pronounced AL-ik.
As of October 2026, Alec ranked #977 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #109 in 1994, Nameberry popularity #178.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #467 | 624 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #456 | 665 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #492 | 616 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #506 | 575 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #540 | 520 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #543 | 518 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #588 | 470 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #682 | 390 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #744 | 346 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #841 | 289 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #878 | 273 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #977 | 234 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Alec for boys
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Alec on lists
Famous Alecs
- Alexander Frederick "Alec" DouglasBoy
Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, British Prime Minister
- Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin IIIBoy
American actor
- Alec Guiness (de Cuffe)Boy
English actor
- Alec Su (YouBoy
peng), Taiwanese actor and singer
- Alec MusserBoy
American actor and model
- Alec BaillieBoy
American bassist for bands Choking Victim, Agent 99, and Leftover Crack
- Alec William Alfred StockBoy
English footballer and manager
- Alec EasonBoy
Australian rules footballer
- Alec BeallBoy
Canadian reality TV personality ("Big Brother Canada")
- Alec MartinezBoy
American hockey player
- Alec PottsBoy
Australian archer
- Alec Richard ShifrinBoy
son of tv host and journalist Sara Haines
- Alec BenjaminBoy
singer/songwriter
Alec in pop culture
- Alec RamsayBoy
character in "The Black Stallion" novel series and film/
- Alec D'UrbervilleBoy
character in Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the D'Urbervilles"
- Alexander "Alec" LightwoodBoy
character in "The Mortal Instruments" book and movie series and the "Shadowhunter's" TV series.
- Alec HardisonBoy
character on TV's "Leverage"
- Alec HardyBoy
main character on British TV series "Broadchurch"
- Alec VolturiBoy
character in the Twilight Saga
- Alec ScudderBoy
character in film "Maurice"
- AlecBoy
character from 'The Kill Order' by James Dashner
- Alec NewburyBoy
character in "St. Elmo's Fire"
- Alec JesmondBoy
character on TV's "Call the Midwife"
- Alec TrevelyanBoy
villain in 1995 James Bond film "GoldenEye"
- Alec SadlerBoy
character from Canadian TV series "Continuum"
- Alec Holland aka Swamp ThingBoy
DC comics character
- Alec RyderBoy
character in the game "Mass Effect: Andromeda"