Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Alexander m. Ancient Greek ἀλέξω 'I defend' + Ancient Greek ἀνδρός, gen. of Ancient Greek ἀνήρ 'man'.

The name of a 2nd C pope and saint, a 3rd C Roman emperor, five 3rd C saints, three 4th C saints, a 5th C saint, a 10th C Byzantine emperor, an 11th C pope, two 12th C popes, a 12th C king of Scotland, a 13th C pope, two 13th C kings of Scotland, a 13th C prince of Novgorod and Kiev and saint, a 15th C antipope, a 15th C saint, two 15th C kings of Georgia, a 15th c prince of Wallachia, a 15th C grand duke of Luthania, a 15th-16th C pope, and a 16th C prince of Moldavia. Wycliffite Bible (1395): Alisaundir

The popularity of this name was reinforced by various medieval Romances about Alexander the Great, one of the nine worthies. The English diminutives Saunder, Saundir, and Sawndir are witnessed in 1379 in the relational bynames Saundersoñ (WRYPT1 p. 307), Saundirson (WRYPT1 p. 16), and Sawndirsoñ (WRYPT1 p. 132).

Austria
Early New High German
1524 Alexander (nom) ChronSH p. 10; 1554 Alexander (nom) ibid. p. 12; 1564 Alexander (nom) ibid. p. 12
Belgium
Latin
1165 Alexandri (gen) CartStBert 18; 1176 Alexandro (abl) ibid. 21
Middle Dutch
1376 Sanders (nom) RSG1376-89 p. 1; 1377 Sanders (gen) ibid. p. 78
Dutch
1540 Alexander MPSA p. 62 [sic]; 1597x1598 Alexander BoonenGes p. 331
1557 Sanders MPSA p. 71
Brabant
Latin
1312 Alexander (nom) JeanIII p. 11
Czech Republic
Latin
1345 Alexander (nom) CDEM-7.2 606
England
Latin
1155 Alexander (nom) FPD p. 121, fn. 1; 1161x1184 Alexander (nom) MDE p. 227, no. 1; 1181 alexandri (gen) StPaulDom p. 109; 1183 Alexander (nom) BoldonBuke p. 3; 1185x1186 Alexander (nom) PR-XXXVI p. 17; 1189 Alexander (nom) GASurv p. 181; 1222 Alexandro (abl) StPaulDom p. 14; 1246 Alexander (nom) PSS-II p. 7, Alexandri (gen) ibid. p. 7; 1256 Alexandri (gen) EARNb p. 3, Alexandro (abl) ibid. p. 3; 1279–80 Alexander (nom) WaHR-SK p. 52, Alexandri (gen) ibid. p. 59, Alexandro (abl) ibid. p. 72; 1296 Alexandri (dat) RCS-1 p. 92b; 1297 Alexander (nom) ComWil-vol1 p. 1; 1300 Alexander (nom) ProcSuf-vol3 p. 232; 1302 Alexander (nom) ComWil-vol1 p. 4; 1340xc1450 Alexander (nom) CovGuild-1 p. 2; 1377 Alexander (nom) FenPT-2 p. 5, Alexandri (gen) ibid. p. 5; 1379 Alexander (nom) WRYPT1 p. 7; 1381 Alexander (nom) FenPT-2 p. 10, Suffolk1381 p. 72, Alexandrem (acc) ibid. p. 114, Alexandri (gen) FenPT-2 p. 11, Suffolk1381 p. 132, Sandre (nom) ibid. p. 75; 1599 Alexander (nom) RegBeb p. 38
1379 Saundir (nom) WRYPT1 p. 16, Sawnder (nom) ibid. p. 16
Dutch
1572 Alexander AuFr Bogarts; 1575 Alexander ibid. Cleven; 1576 Alexander ibid. Bogard; 1580 Alexsander ibid. Bogaerts; 1586 Alexander ibid. Begnerts; 1587 Alexander ibid. Raijnier; 1593 Alexander ibid. Bogaert
1576 Sanders AuFr Gughelrave; 1583 Sanders ibid. Engelgrave; 1584 Sanders (gen) ibid. Gheerartsz; 1587 Sanders ibid. Bogaerts; 1589 Xander ibid. Begnorts
Early Modern English
1503 Alexander OrpingtonKe p. 74, Alexannder ibid. p. 74; 1530 Alexander LIWill-III p. 15; 1531 Alexander SRS-XXI p. 8; 1532–1533 Alexander CovGuild-2 p. 107; 1534 Alexander ibid. p. 126; 1541 Alexander DEmar-vol1 p. 78; 1542/3 Alexsander SIAcc 2, Alxander ibid. 2; 1543 Alexander BarnstapleBap p. 3; 1548 Alexander StAnthonlin p. 6; 1554 Alexander BarnstapleBap p. 8, bruton1 p. 108; 1555/6 Alexander ExMar 2a; 1557 Alexander bruton1 p. 109; 1558–9 Alexander StMary-Ke p. 2; 1561 Alexander BEmar-vol2 p. 53, bruton1 p. 31; 1562 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 2, bruton1 p. 111; 1564 Alexander BarnstapleBap p. 13, bruton1 p. 34; 1565 Alexander BarnstapleBap p. 13; 1566 Alexander bruton1 p. 35; 1568 Alexander BUmar-vol9 p. 4, COmar-vol2 p. 69; 1569 Alexaunder SurMus p. 152, Allexander ibid. II; 1570 Alexander OrpingtonKe p. 3; 1571 Alexander BEmar-vol2 p. 30, COmar-vol5 p. 4, OrpingtonKe p. 3, RegBeb p. 11; 1572 Alexander StAnthonlin p. 22; 1572/3 Alexander SurMus p. 171; 1573 Alessander StAnthonlin p. 23; 1574 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 5, DEmar-vol1 p. 83, StAnthonlin p. 24; 1575 Alexander OrpingtonKe p. 4, bruton1 p. 7; 1576 Alexander DEmar-vol1 p. 83; 1579 Alexander OrpingtonKe p. 5; 1580 Alexsander BEmar-vol2 p. 130; 1582 Alexander BUmar-vol2 p. 63; 1583 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 6, RegBath p. 5, SurMus p. 188; 1583/4 Alexander ibid. p. 31, Allexander ibid. p. 37, Ellisander ibid. p. 101, Ellysander ibid. p. 13; 1584 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 7, RegBath p. 6; 1585 Alexander ibid. p. 7; 1586 Alexander BEmar-vol2 p. 96; 1587 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 8; 1589/90 Alexander BEmar-vol1 p. 13; 1589 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 8, DEmar-vol2 p. 17; 1590 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 9, DEmar-vol2 p. 21; 1593 Alexander BEmar-vol2 p. 131, RegBath p. 10; 1594 Alexander DEmar-vol1 p. 87, RegSoAMar p. 17; 1595 Alexander COmar-vol2 p. 72, DEmar-vol2 p. 30, bruton1 p. 122; 1598 Alexander DEmar-vol1 p. 87, StAnthonlin p. 39; 1599 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 11, Alexsander StAnthonlin p. 40
1563 Sandry COmar-vol5 p. 83; 1583/4 Saunder SurMus p. 80, Savnder ibid. p. 43; 1584 Saunder ibid. p. 194; 1593 Saundry COmar-vol5 p. 9
Walloon
1594 Alexandre RWC p. 33; 1594/5 Alexandre ibid. p. 35; 1595 Alexandre ibid. p. 39; 1596/7 Alexandre ibid. p. 44; 1597 Alexander ibid. p. 45; 1598 Alexandre ibid. p. 49
Estonia
Middle Low German
1425 Zander BbRT p. 350; 1431 Sander ibid. p. 355; 1592 Saßa Tiik1977 p. 285
France
Latin
c823 Alexander (nom) irminon-vol2 57, CE; 1067 Alexandri (gen) CartNDSaintes XII; c1136 Alexander (nom) CartNDdOurscamp CXXI, Alexandri (gen) ibid. CXXI; 1159 Alexander (nom) StVdM-II 736; 1162 Alexandri (gen) CartNDdOurscamp LXIII; 1163 Alexander (nom) clairvaux-12thc 94, Alexandri (gen) ibid. 94; 1165 Alexander (nom) ibid. 126; 1167 Alexander (nom) CartNDSaintes X, Alexandri (gen) ibid. X; 1173 Alexander (nom) clairvaux-12thc 152; 1248 Alexandro (dat) hennes-vol1 125; 1273 Alexander (nom) RegToul-13thC p. 21; 1378 Alexandri (gen) hanquetvol1 205; 1480 Alexandro (abl) MHCG2 245; 1534 Alexandro (abl) ibid. 305; 1564 Alexander (nom) FlorLyon p. 172, Alexandri (gen) ibid. p. 172; 1579 Alexandro (abl) ibid. p. 40
1376 Sander (nom) St-Barnard-Romans 383; 1378 Sandero (dat) hanquetvol1 591
Old French
1296 Alixandre paris1296 p. 18; 1299 Alixandre (obl) HistHdVParis p. 146; 1301 Alissandres (nom) ArchReimsII1 XVII; 1313 Alixandre Paris1313 p. 10; 1327 Alexandre MemDocMan-2 p. 176
Middle French
1418 Alexandre DdB1418 p. 196, Alixandre HGParis p. 372; 1421 Alixandre favier 306; 1423 Alixandre ibid. 20; 1438 Alixandre ibid. 233; 1455 Alixandre HRAVP-3 p. 353; 1562 Alexandre RegPCC-1 p. 6; 1563 Alexandre ibid. p. 22; 1564 Alexandre ibid. p. 48; 1565 Alexandre ibid. p. 173; 1566 Allexandre ibid. p. 199; 1568 Allexandre ibid. p. 380; 1571 Alexandre ibid. p. 441, Allexandre ibid. p. 577; 1572 Alexandre ibid. p. 524, Allexandre ibid. p. 499
1418 Sandrin DdB1418 p. 212; 1568 Sandrin RegPCC-1 p. 400; 1571 Sandrin ibid. p. 628
Germany
Latin
1061 Alexandro (abl) quix-vol1 60; 1134 Alexander (nom) ibid. 97; 1135 Alexandri (gen) ibid. 64; 1136 Alexandro (abl) ibid. 80; 1186 Alexander (nom) quix-vol2 123; 1241 Alexander (nom) UrkMeck1 no. XXVIII; 1257 Alexandri (gen) ibid. no. LI; 1259 Alexander (nom) CDL-1.1.1 XXXI; 1261 Alexandri (gen) UrkMeck1 no. LIV; 1262 Alexander (nom) ibid. no. LV; 1274 Alexander (nom) hennes-vol1 234; 1288 Alexander (nom) ibid. 311, Alexandri (dat) ibid. 315; 1289x1298 Alexander (nom) UrkMeck1 no. XCIX, Alexandri (gen) ibid. no. XCIX; 1301 Alexander (nom) BremUrk2 no. 3; 1302 Allexandri (gen) ibid. no. 22; 1303 Alexandri (gen) ibid. no. 24, Allexandri (gen) ibid. no. 27; 1304 Alexander (nom) ibid. no. 37
Early New High German
1497 Allexander Nurn1497 982; 1555 Allexander (nom) MHCG2 335
Ireland
Latin
fin12thC Alexander (nom) MunDocIr III, p. 11, Alexandri (gen) ibid. III, p. 11; 1487 Alexandri (gen) RegOct 10, Alexandro (dat) ibid. 10, Alexandrum (acc) ibid. 10; 1494 Alexandri (gen) ibid. 1; 1496 Alexandri (dat) ibid. 34
Early Modern English
1591 Alexander IORCHAR-II p. xxii
Italy
Latin
1067 Alexander (nom) CartSPL1 III, Alexandri (gen) ibid. III; 1159 Alexander (nom) HAP p. 335, Alexandri (gen) ibid. p. 336; 1159x1181 Alexander (nom) ibid. p. 336; 1166 Alexander (nom) ibid. p. 337, Alexandri (gen) ibid. p. 338; 1169 Alexander (nom) clairvaux-12thc 135, Alexandri (gen) ibid. 135, Alexandro (dat) ibid. 135; 1174x1176 Alexander (nom) ibid. 163; 1177 Alexander (nom) ibid. 164; 1179 Alexander (nom) CartHaut 25, Alexandri (gen) ibid. 25; 1255 Alexander (nom) HAP p. 361; 1257 Alexander (nom) OHZI-II no. 31, hennes-vol1 163; 1258 Alexander (nom) ibid. 173; 1260 Alexander (nom) HAP p. 361; 1265x1339 Alexandri (gen) BBC-Berg 42; 1268 Alexander (nom) ibid. p. XLI; 1310 Alexander (nom) MonRav-2 CCCL; 1348 Alexandri (gen) INP 17; 1368 Alexandro (abl) Livi 220; 1369 Alexander (gen) ibid. 256; 1464 Alexander (nom) CUP-III-I CCXXXI; 1490 Alexandri (gen) VitAs2 I; 1497 Alexander (nom) MHCG2 262; 1502 Alexander (nom) ibid. 272; 1521 Alexandri (gen) VitAs2 V; 1522x1532 Alexander (nom) DSF p. 52, 30; 1527 Alexander (nom) Rome1527 p. 84, Alexandri (gen) ibid. p. 86
1367 Sander (nom) Livi 145, Sonder (nom) ibid. 153; 1368 Sander (nom) ibid. 220; 1370 Sandri (gen) ibid. 264; 1376 Sandrino (abl) DouGen1 p. 73
Italian
1513x1521 Alexandro LeoX p. 15
Latvia
Latin
1294 Alexandri (gen) RigSB 717; 1300 Alexander (nom) ibid. 89
The Netherlands
Latin
1235 Alexander (nom) hennes-vol1 93
Portugal
Latin
1179 Alexander (nom) PHGCRP-I no. 4, Alexandri (gen) ibid. no. 4
Scotland
Latin
1093x1097 Alexandro (abl) ESC XIII; 1093x1107 Alexander (nom) ibid. XIV; 1095 Alexandri (gen) ibid. XV; 1107 Alexandro (dat) ibid. XXV; 1107x1117 Alexandri (gen) ibid. XXXIII; c1110 Alexander (nom) ibid. XXVI; 1115 Alexander (nom) ibid. XXVIII; 1118 Alexander (nom) ibid. XXXI; c1120 Alexander (nom) ibid. XXXVI; 1120 Alexander (nom) ibid. XXXVII; c1120 Alexandri (gen) ibid. XXXVI, Alexandro (abl) ibid. XXXV; 1120 Alexandro (dat) ibid. XXXVIII; 1122 Alexandri (gen) ibid. XLV, Alexandro (dat) ibid. XLI; 1123 Alexander (nom) ibid. XLVII; 1124 Alexander (nom) ibid. XLVIII, Alexandro (abl) ibid. L; 1214–1226 Alexander (nom) morton-vol1 2, Alexandro (abl) ibid. 1; 1235 Alexander (nom) ibid. 3, Alexandri (gen) ibid. 3; 1238 Alexander (nom) CartStAndrew p. 1; 1272x1360 Alexandro (abl) ibid. p. 3; 1376 Alexandri (gen) morton-vol1 16, Alexandro (dat) ibid. 16; 1392 Alexandro (abl) CartLevenax p. 11; 1425 Alexander (nom) REG-II 329, Alexandri (gen) RMSRS-2 31; 1426 Alexandri (gen) ibid. 56, Alexandro (dat) REG-II 331, RMSRS-2 52; 1426/7 Alexandro (dat) ibid. 73; 1428 Alexandri (gen) ibid. 109; 1456 Alexandro (abl) morton-vol1 14
Scots
c1550 Alexander CartNBer p. xxiii
Sweden
Old Swedish
1411 Alexssander (nom) SDHK no. 17735
Switzerland
Middle French
1553 Alex MHCG2 324
Early New High German
1553 Alexandrum (gen) MHCG2 330; 1554 Alexander (nom) ibid. 331
Ukraine
Latin
1469 Allexander (nom) AGZ-18 5, Allexandro (abl) ibid. 35, Allexandrum (acc) ibid. I-5; 1480 Allexandri (gen) ibid. CIX-1317
1469 Olechno (abl) AGZ-18 35
Wales
Latin
1247 alexandri (gen) ArchCambIII p. 228
Early Modern English
1578 Alexander RegLlantrithyd p. 32; 1584 Alexander ibid. p. 62
Cite as: A. Brown, R. Le Get, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Alexander". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Alexander.