US Popularity Rank: 460

Origin: Greek

Meaning: Man's defender, protector of men

If the defender of humankind was a woman, she might be called Alexandra. The female form of Alexander was popular in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe but little heard of in the English-speaking world until Princess Alexandra of Denmark married the heir to the British throne, Edward VII, in 1863. Variations include Alessandra, Alejandra, and Alexandria. Nicknames range from Alex to Lexi, Alexa, and Xandra. Two actresses who have rocked superpowers on film include Alexandra Daddario, the daughter of Athena in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians movies, and Alexandra Shipp, the teenage Storm in X-Men: Apocalypse.