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Sander

Sander is a boy's name of German origin meaning “to ward off, defend and man.” In 2024 it was given to 26 boys in the United States.

Sander at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
German
Meaning
“to ward off, defend and man”
Pronunciation
/ˈsɑːndə/
Also spelled
Alexander

About the name Sander

Sander belongs to the German tradition. Its meaning — “to ward off, defend and man” — is the sense carried by its German roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page. It travels in a few spellings: Alexander.

In the United States, Sander first appears in Social Security records in 1912. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #1742 in 1937, and in 2024 26 babies received the name — 1,547 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Sander in US records

First recorded (US)
1912
Best US rank
#1742 in 1937
Peak year
2020
Babies named Sander in 2024
26
Total since 1880
1,547

Sander in England & Wales records

First recorded (since 1996)
2000
Best rank
#2587 in 2001
Babies named Sander in 2025
3
Total since 1996
44

Spellings & short forms

Alexander

Similar names

More names from the German shelf:

PaulGermanFrankGermanAlexanderGermanWalterGermanRalphGermanPhilipGermanLeonardGermanFrancisGerman

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Sander mean?

Sander means “to ward off, defend and man” in its German roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Sander a boy or girl name?

Sander is a boy name. In 2024, 26 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Sander?

Sander comes from the German tradition. It is also spelled Alexander.

How popular is the name Sander?

Sander first appears in US records in 1912. Its best-ever ranking was #1742 in 1937, and 26 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Sander?

Sander is pronounced /ˈsɑːndə/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. England & Wales figures are from the Office for National Statistics. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.