Etymologically, the name is derived from the
Greek "Αλέξανδρος" (Aléxandros), meaning "defending men" or "protector of men", a compound of the verb "ἀλέξω" (alexō), "to ward off, to avert, to defend" and the noun "ἀνδρός" (andros), genitive of "ἀνήρ" (anēr), "man". It is an example of the widespread motif of Greek (or Indo-European more generally) names expressing "battle-prowess", in this case the ability to withstand or push back an enemy
battle line. The earliest attested form of the name is the
Mycenaean Greek feminine noun
a-re-ka-sa-da-ra, (transliterated as
Alexandra), written in
Linear B syllabic script. The name was one of the titles ("epithets") given to the Greek goddess
Hera and as such is usually taken to mean "one who comes to save warriors". In the
Iliad, the character
Paris is known also as Alexander. The name's popularity was spread throughout the Greek world by the military conquests of
King Alexander III, commonly known as "Alexander the Great". ==Rulers==