Alec
A diminutive of the male given name Alexander, from Ancient Greek, of Scottish origin.
Every Alec since 1880 — 55,489 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alec
Alec is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #977 in 2025 with 234 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 55,489 American babies have been named Alec. Its peak came in 1995, when 3,457 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Alec stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alec year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 234 | #977 |
| 2024 | — | — | 274 | #880 |
| 2023 | — | — | 290 | #841 |
| 2022 | — | — | 346 | #745 |
| 2021 | — | — | 390 | #682 |
| 2020 | — | — | 470 | #588 |
| 2019 | — | — | 518 | #543 |
| 2018 | — | — | 521 | #539 |
| 2017 | — | — | 575 | #506 |
| 2016 | 6 | #14,426 | 617 | #492 |
| 2015 | — | — | 665 | #456 |
| 2014 | — | — | 624 | #467 |
| 2013 | — | — | 626 | #453 |
| 2012 | — | — | 606 | #449 |
| 2011 | — | — | 659 | #421 |
| 2010 | 5 | #17,130 | 669 | #417 |
| 2009 | — | — | 730 | #406 |
| 2008 | 6 | #15,478 | 774 | #389 |
| 2007 | — | — | 872 | #363 |
| 2006 | — | — | 982 | #329 |
| 2005 | 7 | #13,073 | 1,127 | #292 |
| 2004 | 5 | #16,208 | 1,333 | #246 |
| 2003 | 10 | #9,703 | 1,526 | #226 |
| 2002 | 6 | #13,661 | 1,749 | #206 |
| 2001 | 11 | #8,779 | 2,155 | #173 |
| 2000 | 9 | #9,912 | 2,479 | #156 |
| 1995 | 37 | #3,090 | 3,420 | #112 |
| 1990 | 16 | #5,554 | 978 | #271 |
| 1985 | 7 | #8,341 | 290 | #514 |
| 1980 | — | — | 125 | #782 |
| 1975 | — | — | 80 | #916 |
| 1970 | — | — | 105 | #796 |
| 1965 | — | — | 116 | #692 |
| 1960 | — | — | 100 | #764 |
| 1955 | — | — | 54 | #1,023 |
| 1950 | — | — | 50 | #977 |
| 1945 | — | — | 36 | #1,078 |
| 1940 | — | — | 32 | #1,183 |
| 1935 | — | — | 23 | #1,422 |
| 1930 | — | — | 37 | #1,151 |
| 1925 | — | — | 53 | #924 |
| 1920 | — | — | 67 | #816 |
| 1915 | — | — | 57 | #804 |
| 1910 | — | — | 18 | #708 |
| 1905 | — | — | 12 | #700 |
| 1900 | — | — | 15 | #650 |
| 1895 | — | — | 5 | #1,082 |
| 1890 | — | — | 11 | #603 |
| 1885 | — | — | 9 | #641 |
| 1880 | — | — | 11 | #571 |
Famous people named Alec
- Alec Douglas-Home Politician · 1903–1995
- Alec Guinness Actor · 1914–2000
- Alec Baldwin Actor · b. 1958
- Alec Issigonis Engineer · 1906–1988
- Alec McCowen Actor · 1925–2017
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alec mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Alexander, from Ancient Greek, of Scottish origin.
How popular is the name Alec in 2025?
Alec ranked #977 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 234 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Alec?
55,489 babies have been named Alec in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alec most popular?
Alec peaked in 1995, when 3,457 newborns received the name.
Is Alec a boy or girl name?
Alec is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alec rising or falling?
Alec is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Alec?
Well-known people named Alec include Alec Douglas-Home (politician), Alec Guinness (actor), Alec Baldwin (actor).