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?

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)

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.

Xander (Zander)

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.

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

@SignOnTheWindow

Xander (Zander)

That's lovely. So is Xan.

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

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

Thanks again everyone

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).

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) .

DS2 is Alexander, but to us he is Alex.