Alexandria is a unique and captivating female name of Greek origin. It is derived from the ancient city of Alexandria in Egypt, which was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. The city was named after its founder's wife, who was also his sister, Roxane, but it was eventually corrupted to sound more like her husband's name.
The meaning of the name Alexandria is "defender of humankind." This significance comes from the fact that the city became a center of learning and culture during the ancient world. It housed one of the largest libraries in history, known as the Library of Alexandria, which attracted scholars from around the globe to study and contribute to its vast collection.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures with the name Alexandria or variations thereof. One famous example is Queen Alexandra of Denmark (1844-1925), who became the wife of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Another notable figure is Lady Diana Spencer's full first name, which was also Alexandria.
Today, the name Alexandria remains relatively rare but continues to evoke images of history and sophistication due to its ancient origins and associations with learning and culture. Parents who choose this name for their daughters often do so because they appreciate its unique sound, rich history, and meaningful significance. Despite being derived from a place name, Alexandria has evolved into an elegant and distinctive personal name that stands on its own merits.
The name Alexandria experienced significant growth in popularity over the course of the century analyzed here, with a notable spike occurring around the late 1980s and early 1990s. From the 1960s to the mid-1970s, there was a steady increase in births named Alexandria, ranging from approximately 30 to 150 annually. However, starting in 1984, this number began to rise dramatically, reaching over 2000 births per year at its peak in 1992 with a total of 5027 Alexandrias born that year alone. This trend continued until the late 1990s and early 2000s, after which there was a decline back down to around 800 births annually by 2023, indicating a decrease in popularity but still remaining relatively common. Overall, throughout these years (1902-2023), the name Alexandria has been given to a total of approximately 103192 newborns.