Today, every Alexander, Alex and Alexandre you know shares a name day with the Greek tradition. In Montreal, that can mean a cousin called Alexandros at home, an Alex at the office, a French-speaking Alexandre at school, or even an Alejandro or Alessandro among friends. Alongside them, today also belongs to the rarer Greek names Evlalios and Fylakas.
Alexander comes from the ancient Greek Αλέξανδρος, built from alexein, “to defend” or “to ward off,” and aner, andros, “man.” It is one of the great travelling names of the ancient world, carried from Greek into Latin and then into English, French, Spanish, Italian, Slavic and many other languages, which is why it feels so familiar across Canada while still sounding unmistakably Greek. Evlalios comes from Greek elements meaning “well-spoken,” while Fylakas is the Greek word for a guard or keeper.
In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, a person’s name day is the feast day of the saint after whom they were named at baptism.
Alexander is a name that naturally suits the person everyone counts on. It fits the older brother who quietly steps in when something needs handling, the coach who keeps a team steady, or the co-worker Alex who is always the calm one when a deadline tightens. Evlalios has its own graceful sound, easy to imagine on a teacher with a measured voice or a grandfather whose stories hold a whole table. And Fylakas carries a sturdy, watchful note, the sort of name that feels at home on the across-the-street neighbour who keeps an eye on the block and notices when a package has been left at the door.
Chronia Polla! to everyone celebrating today, in Greek and non-Greek circles alike. If you know an Alexander, Alex or Alexandre, today is a perfect day to send a quick happy name day message and share a small Greek custom with someone who may not even know the date belongs to them.
