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

[IamnotwhouthinkIam]

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?

Sandy, Alec,Alex , Al and Xander are all names Ive heard for Alexander.

Alex usually. I've met one Xander, but that's what his parents had always called him

Lex
Alex
& Xand

I have a 2 year old Alexander. He was going to be Alex but following a protest from his big sister of 'he's not Alex he's Alexander' he's actually become Xand/Xander which I like more.

Of the others I know

Alec (45)
Alex (23)
Alexander (6)

There were 5 in ds class one year (1 girl 4 boys)
2 were Alex + initial..(it stated of boy Alex and girl Alex:) , one was an Al, one xander and one lex

One v posh Alexaaaaaaahnda.

Have you considered just giving him the name Xander? Or maybe Xavier? The Xavier I know is called Xavi or Xav. (Zav)

Alex but if you wanted to make Xan stick, either with child or peer group, then just have him known as that in nursery and primary. On the forms Alexander known as Xan. You can always revert back in year 7.
The one I know answers to Alexander, Alex, Al, Ally, Xan, Xander, Lex and Lexi. But Alex stuck only as we made that his known by name. He intends changing it to Xander at secondary.

Thanks everyone for the replies and advice - it's been very helpful. It's seems there are more Xanders about now (although still no where near the number of Alex/Alec's) but only a few known as Xan or Xand which is interesting.

Have you considered just giving him the name Xander? Or maybe Xavier? The Xavier I know is called Xavi or Xav. (Zav)

I did consider just Xander on the BC but I think one of the things I love about Alexander is it's timelessness - I think Xander as a given name only became more popular after "Buffy" on TV which makes me slightly wary.

Xavier is very cool, again I'm not just sure it's my (classic/safe) style if that makes sense? I do love nn Zav/Zev though! The other names on my list are/were all "English" classics - William, Samuel, Edward type names - maybe I need to think about being braver?

Always Alex, any Zanders/Xanders are actually just named that.

Zandy.

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

The only zander I know is a girl.

Alex

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

Thanks again everyone for all the replies and help

@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 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!).

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.

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

Thanks very much again everyone for all your help (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.

Sandy.

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.

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

@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

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?

The Alexander I dated in my teens was known as Al