Alexis is a given name derived from the
Greek word ????? or
al?xo, meaning "to help, defend." It was the name of several saints venerated by the
Roman Catholic and
Eastern Orthodox churches, including
Saint Alexis of Rome, and of a Russian tsar,
Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich of Russia. It was used as a name for several other members of the ruling house of Russia, including
Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia and
Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia.
The name was traditionally male, though it has been in use as a girls' name in the
United States since at least the 1940s, when actress
Alexis Smith (born Gladys Smith) began appearing in movies, and has been among the top 50 most popular names for girls in the United States since 1990. The increase in popularity of the name is sometimes attributed to the 1981 debut of the character
Alexis Colby on the American television series
Dynasty
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