Alec
AL-ek
A friendly short form of Alexander, ultimately tied to the idea of helping or defending men.
Meaning
Alec is a diminutive nickname of Alexander. In the excerpted etymology, Alexander is explained from Greek elements meaning “to help” or “succour,” plus “man,” giving the sense of a “helper of men” or “defender of men.” Alec developed as one of the familiar short forms, alongside names like Ellick and Scottish Sandy.
Origin
GreekEnglishScottishmasculine
Fun fact
In the source excerpt, Alec is grouped with Ellick and the Scottish nickname Sandy as a traditional short form of Alexander.
Confidence: sourced. Sources: Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.