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Original poster

If you have or know an Alexander, what is he most often called?

136 replies

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 06/09/2021 16:04

Help! One names on my list for DS is Alexander. But we already have an Alex in the extended family (I have a huge family so a lot of the classic or popular boys names are already used). It's not a close family member/someone we see regularly and I prefer the full name or Xan/Xand as a nn anyway.

BUT in your experience are Alexanders nearly always known as Alex?

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lorn195 · 07/09/2021 22:37

DS2 is Alexander, but to us he is Alex.

HeronLanyon · 07/09/2021 22:33

I tend to want and do pronounce it as in man. If I pronounce it as in barn I start to think I am saying Sandra (southern eng) .

Original poster
IamnotwhouthinkIam · 07/09/2021 21:59

Thanks again everyone Smile

I would pronounce xander with a long /a/, do you mind me asking how you would pronounce the /a/ in Xan/Xand?

Weirdly I sometimes want to pronounce Xander as "Zarnder" (long A) -as I don't know any in RL so am possibly influenced by Alexander "Zarnder" Armstrong's pronunciation. But the Alexanders I've met locally and the family one are Alexander with a short A - so I wouldn't try to fight local pronunciation and would use "Zan/Zand" rather "Zarn/Zarnd" (so man rather than barn in your example).

OP posts:
mamaduckbone · 07/09/2021 21:47

Alex
But if you choose to shorten his name to Xander others with follow suit.

Giggorata · 07/09/2021 20:44

Ah, I wouldn't know, as neither of them speak a lot of English
But Alexei is called Lyosha by close family.

Plumtree391 · 07/09/2021 20:11

@SignOnTheWindow

Xander (Zander)
That's lovely. So is Xan.
TheWayTheLightFalls · 07/09/2021 19:35

@Giggorata typically in Russia Alexei is it’s own distinct name, with the nn Lyoxha or Lyosha. It wouldn’t be derived from Alexander.

P0ntiacBandit · 07/09/2021 19:26

My cousin’s name is Alexander. Most of us call him Xander, his Nan and mum used to call him Alex and his mates call him Al/xander.

SignOnTheWindow · 07/09/2021 19:22

Xander (Zander)

Plumtree391 · 07/09/2021 19:20

Al, Ali or Alex.

Years ago, when I was young, it was sometimes Sandy but you don't hear that now.

I think Alexander is a cool name, as is Alexandra for a girl.

Giggorata · 07/09/2021 19:14

I know an Alexander, full name only (UK)
Alex (UK)
Sasha and Alexei (Russia, father and son)
Lex (Canada)
No Xanders though, apart from the one in Buffy ( USA)

icepackplease · 07/09/2021 19:12

The Alexander I dated in my teens was known as Al

Howshouldibehave · 07/09/2021 19:11

All the ones I know are called Alex.

I have seen Xander used on the telly. I’ve never heard Xan or Xand though.

I would pronounce xander with a long /a/, do you mind me asking how you would pronounce the /a/ in Xan/Xand?

To rhyme with man or to rhyme with barn?

Abracadabra12345 · 07/09/2021 19:07

@Eminybob

Ours is Xander at home, but nursery call him Alex. Both just naturally evolved, he is always introduced as Alexander.

Tbh, people often shorten to Alex even when first introduced to him, even if they hear me calling him Xander, which annoys me a bit.

My Alexander corrects them if they do that! It’s easy to say, if they say “Alex”, “Well , Alexander / Xander actually..” in a friendly way and move on.

I used to work with a Christopher and he’d firmly say, “Christopher “ with a smile of anyone called him Chris. I remember a recent discussion about the name David and worries that they’d be called Dave but a young lad I knew was a David and never called anything else

Eminybob · 07/09/2021 19:00

I also call him Xands and Xandy. Never Xan though.

Eminybob · 07/09/2021 18:59

Ours is Xander at home, but nursery call him Alex.
Both just naturally evolved, he is always introduced as Alexander.

Tbh, people often shorten to Alex even when first introduced to him, even if they hear me calling him Xander, which annoys me a bit.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 07/09/2021 18:33

Sandy.

Original poster
IamnotwhouthinkIam · 07/09/2021 18:27

Thanks very much again everyone for all your help Flowers (and especially @Dizzymaclizzy , @Abracadabra12345 and @Bakingdiva for sharing your experience of Xan/Xand).

Everyone's posts have been really helpful (in term's of having an idea of how many "full" Alexanders vs Alexs/Alecs/Xanders/other nicknames) but obviously it's especially great to hear from parents whose sons use Xan (or Xand) since that will probably be what I'd be calling him on a day to day basis.

OP posts:
Abracadabra12345 · 07/09/2021 17:27

My son’s called Alexander and will firmly correct anyone who attempts to call him Alex. We call him Xand or Xander as well as his full name. He’s a young adult now and I still adore his name

Dizzymaclizzy · 07/09/2021 17:21

Hi OP
No one has every said anything. Xan was his pet name at 1st and we stuck firmly to Alexander when introducing him but as he’s got older he prefers Xan so that is what we all call him. I like it. It’s quite quirky and it suits him.
We have always been firm ( but polite) in correcting anyone who shortened his name to anything else but obviously he is still called Alexander and that’s fine by both him and us.

Original poster
IamnotwhouthinkIam · 07/09/2021 16:59

Thanks again everyone for all the replies and help Smile

@Dizzymaclizzy - I think you're the only one on here that has mentioned having an Alexander known as "Xan" (as opposed to Xander) so it must be rarer than I thought - do people ever pull Confused faces/question it or do they just accept it?

I do like "Xand" too but that seems even rarer (apart from that Doctor on the tele!) and unfortunately I think "Lex" doesn't work as well with my surname (I seem to like the single syllable shortenings!).

OP posts:
lumpyandfrumpysince1976 · 07/09/2021 14:57

I know an Alexander who will be turning 16 in the next school year and he goes by Lex it's only on official things his registered name is used x

LaBellina · 07/09/2021 14:46

Alex

HeronLanyon · 07/09/2021 14:45

The only zander I know is a girl.

StillSadAboutTiffanyMitchell · 07/09/2021 14:02

The one I know is 7, he is always called Alexander. I've never heard it shortened ever.