Alessia
Meaning
“Italian feminine form of Alexis, from Greek 'defender'”
The story
Alessia is the Italian feminine of Alessio, descended from the Greek Alexis, a name built on the idea of defending and protecting. Italy has loved it for generations, where it regularly ranks among the most popular girls' names, but Americans came to it late: scarcely used here for most of the twentieth century, it has made its strongest showing in the most recent decades. Two famous bearers raised its profile in the English-speaking world: the Canadian singer Alessia Cara, and above all the England striker Alessia Russo, whose impudent backheel goal at the 2022 European Championship became instantly famous, part of the run that ended with England lifting the trophy at Wembley. A defender's name worn by a striker, Alessia arrives with soft Italian music, and its American story is young enough that choosing it still feels like a discovery.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Alessia peaked in the 2020s.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
1,033 people · the #8,102 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 200,000 · median age 20
Among people named Alessia living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 2000s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 124 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Alessia
Most people given the name Alessia in the United States are children or teenagers today. The name belongs to this generation.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Alessia deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Alessia truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Alessia fits with your family’s names and surname.
Keep exploring
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