Alexis
Alexis comes from the Greek "alexein," meaning to defend or help — the same root as Alexander, but in a simpler, gender-neutral form. In ancient Greece, Alexis was a male name: a comic poet of the 4th century BCE and a character in Theocritus. The name was used for men in the Eastern Orthodox tradition for centuries. In the English-speaking world, Alexis became a female name in the 20th century — one of the clearest cases of a name crossing gender lines. The 1980s soap opera "Dynasty" featured the character Alexis Carrington (played by Joan Collins), and the name exploded for girls. By 1999, Alexis was the #3 girl name in the US. Then it shifted back toward boys in the 2000s, particularly in Latino communities where Alexis has long been used for males. I find Alexis interesting because it is genuinely unisex without trying to be. The "x" gives it an edge, and the "-is" ending is one of those rare suffixes that works on either gender. It sounds modern even though it is ancient. Alexis is a unisex name of Greek origin that means "Defender, helper". Modern, energetic, and a little edgy. The X gives it sharpness. Alexises tend to be adaptable and quick. US top 10 for girls in late 1990s. Now declining on both sides. Well-known people named Alexis include Alexis de Tocqueville (political thinker), Alexis Bledel (actress), Alexis Carrel (surgeon, Nobel laureate), Joan Collins as Alexis Carrington (fictional). Common variations and related forms of Alexis include Alexei (Russian male), Alessio (Italian male), Alexys (modern spelling), Lexi (nickname).