Alexis

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Origin: Greek

Meaning: derived from Greek alexo meaning "to help, defend". It was originally used as a masculine name becoming more popular for girls, the name of several ancient Greek figures. A male character named Alexis is also featured in Virgil's Eclogue II, as a young man who was beloved by the character Corydon.

In Greek mythology, a young man named Alexis was in love with a young named Meliboea who also loved him, but her parents had already betrothed her to another man. On her wedding day, Meliboea tried to kill herself by jumping off the roof but was unhurt, so she escaped to the seashore, found a boat, and the ropes somehow loosened on their own. The boat led her straight to where Alexis was dining with some friends, reuniting the lovers, and they dedicated two temples to the goddess Aphrodite.


Female forms:

• Alexia 
• Alexina 
• Alessia (Italian)

Male forms:

• Alexius (Ancient Greek)
• Alexios (Ancient Greek)
• Aleksey (Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian)
• Aleksei (Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian)
• Alessio (Italian)