Is Alex short for anything?
Yes. Alex is a nickname in most old records, and it usually points to Alexander. Less often it stands in for Alexis and Alexandra. Expect it in American and British records, mostly 1800s-1900s. A record that says Alex and a record that says Alexander can easily be the same person, so search both names before you rule anyone out.
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The finder above is preloaded with this name. Search any other nickname or formal name to trace a variant, or open the full nickname finder.
FAQs
Is Alex a nickname?+
In old records, almost always - it stands for Alexander or Alexis. Treat it as a pointer to a formal name until the documents prove otherwise.
Is Alex a real name on its own?+
It mostly rode on Alexander in the eras we track (1800s-1900s). If your ancestor's papers only ever say Alex, record it as written and keep Alexander as a candidate.
How does this nickname lookup work?+
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