ALEXIS BROWN

Variant (or female derivative) of Alexius, the Latin spelling of Greek Alexios, a short form of various compound personal names derived from alexein ‘to defend’. St Alexius was a 5th-century saint of Edessa, venerated particularly in the Orthodox Church as a ‘man of God’. Alexis was originally a boy's name, but is now more commonly given to girls.

English, Scottish, and Irish: generally a nickname referring to the color of the hair or complexion, Middle English br(o)un, from Old English brūn or Old French brun. This word is occasionally found in Old English and Old Norse as a personal name or byname. Brun- was also a Germanic name-forming element. Some instances of Old English Brūn as a personal name may therefore be short forms of compound names such as Brūngar, Brūnwine, etc. As a Scottish and Irish name, it sometimes represents a translation of Gaelic Donn. As an American family name, it has absorbed numerous surnames from other languages with the same meaning.