Alexander

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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

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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).

Belgium

Middle Dutch: ◑ 1376 Sanders (nom) RSG1376-89 p. 1; 1377 Sanders (gen) ibid. p. 78
Dutch: ● 1597x1598 Alexander BoonenGes p. 331

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; 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; ◑ 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; 1593 Alexander ibid. Bogaert; ◑ 1583 Sanders AuFr 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, bruton-vol1 p. 108; 1555/6 Alexander ExMar 2a; 1557 Alexander bruton-vol1 p. 109; 1558–9 Alexander StMary-Ke p. 2; 1561 Alexander BEmar-vol2 p. 53, bruton-vol1 p. 31; 1562 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 2, bruton-vol1 p. 111; 1564 Alexander BarnstapleBap p. 13, bruton-vol1 p. 34; 1565 Alexander BarnstapleBap p. 13; 1566 Alexander bruton-vol1 p. 35; 1568 Alexander BUmar-vol9 p. 4, COmar-vol2 p. 69; 1570 Alexander OrpingtonKe p. 3; 1571 Alexander BEmar-vol2 p. 30, COmar-vol5 p. 4, OrpingtonKe p. 3; 1572 Alexander StAnthonlin p. 22; 1573 Alessander ibid. p. 23; 1574 Alexander COmar-vol5 p. 5, DEmar-vol1 p. 83, StAnthonlin p. 24; 1575 Alexander OrpingtonKe p. 4, bruton-vol1 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; 1584 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; 1594 Alexander DEmar-vol1 p. 87; 1595 Alexander COmar-vol2 p. 72, DEmar-vol2 p. 30; 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; 1593 Saundry ibid. p. 9

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; 1564 Alexander (nom) FlorLyon p. 172, Alexandri (gen) ibid. p. 172; 1579 Alexandro (abl) ibid. p. 40; ◑ 1376 Sander (nom) St-Bernard-Romans 383; 1378 Sandero (dat) hanquetvol1 591
Old French: ● 1296 Alixandre paris1296 p. 18; 1299 Alixandre (obl) HistHdVParis p. 146; 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; ◑ 1418 Sandrin DdB1418 p. 212; 1568 Sandrin RegPCC-1 p. 400

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; 1259 Alexander (nom) CDL-1.1.1 XXXI
Early New High German: ● 1497 Allexander Nurn1497 982

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

Italy

Latin: ● 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; 1257 Alexander (nom) hennes-vol1 163; 1258 Alexander (nom) ibid. 173; 1265x1339 Alexandri (gen) BBC-Berg 42; 1268 Alexander (nom) ibid. p. XLI; 1310 Alexander (nom) MonRav-2 CCCL; 1348 Alexandri (gen) INP 17; 1464 Alexander (nom) CUP-III-I CCXXXI; 1490 Alexandri (gen) VitAs2 I; 1521 Alexandri (gen) ibid. V; 1522x1532 Alexander (nom) DSF p. 52, 30; 1527 Alexander (nom) Rome1527 p. 84, Alexandri (gen) ibid. p. 86; ◑ 1376 Sandrino (abl) DouGen1 p. 73
Italian: ● 1513x1521 Alexandro LeoX p. 15

Latvia

Latin: ● 1300 Alexander (nom) RigSB 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 Alexandri (gen) RMSRS-2 31; 1426 Alexandro (dat) ibid. 52; 1456 Alexandro (abl) morton-vol1 14
Scots: ● c1550 Alexander CartNBer p. xxiii

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: R. Le Get, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Alexander". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2017, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2017/1/name/Alexander.