Alejo
A boy's name of Spanish origin with 882 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname.
Alejo is a boy's baby name of Spanish origin, the Spanish form of Alexius or Alexei — from the Greek Alexios meaning 'defender' or 'protector.' Saint Alexius of Rome was a 5th-century saint who gave up his wealth and noble family to live in poverty and devotion, making the name beloved in Catholic Spain and Latin America. Alejo Carpentier, the great Cuban novelist, is perhaps the most celebrated literary bearer.
Warm and distinctly Spanish, Alejo has a Latin ease to its sound — a name that belongs in plazas and on café terraces as much as in the pages of literature.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Alejo is rooted in the Spanish tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1909 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
Alejo’s 882 recorded births suggest it has found a niche — possibly within a specific cultural community, region, or naming subculture within the broader American landscape.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Alejo was #5501 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #7752, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 65 | #6555 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 108 | #7666 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 125 | #6157 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 110 | #5397 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 98 | #4240 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 73 | #4359 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 66 | #3360 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 65 | #3199 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 58 | #2982 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 43 | #2896 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 50 | #4009 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 16 | #2986 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 5 | #1445 | — |
The Story of Alejo
A Millennial name
Peaking in 1996, Alejo is a Millennial-era classic. Boys named Alejo are most likely born between 1986 and 2006.
How rare is Alejo?
Only about 1 in every 360,000 babies born in 2024 was named Alejo — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1909, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2000s with 125 births that decade, and remains solidly popular today.
Alejo by the numbers
- Would fill 18 school buses
- Meeting one Alejo per day would take 2.4 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(99 years, 1909–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | #7752 |
| 2023 | 13 | #6534 |
| 2022 | 12 | #6837 |
| 2021 | 17 | #5347 |
| 2020 | 13 | #6304 |
| 2019 | 10 | #7666 |
| 2018 | 12 | #6713 |
| 2017 | 10 | #7568 |
| 2016 | 7 | #9708 |
| 2015 | 16 | #5517 |
| 2014 | 11 | #7068 |
| 2013 | 15 | #5667 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8180 |
| 2011 | 13 | #6266 |
| 2010 | 5 | #12308 |
| 2009 | 9 | #8325 |
| 2008 | 12 | #6778 |
| 2007 | 16 | #5440 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7444 |
| 2005 | 14 | #5584 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alejo a boy's or girl's name?
When was Alejo most popular?
How popular is the name Alejo?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1909–2024