Elek is a Hungarian given name, representing the Hungarian form of the ancient name Alexius. Alexius itself is the Latinized form of Greek origin, derived from the name Alexios, which ultimately comes from the Greek verb alexo meaning "to defend" or "to help." The root name is Alexis, from which both Alexius and Alexios derive, sharing the core meaning of "helper" or "defender." While Alexis has become more common as a feminine name in English-speaking countries, Elek maintains its masculine usage in Hungary. Notable Bearers Notable individuals bearing the name Elek include Elek Bacsik, a Hungarian guitarist, and Elek Nyilas, a Hungarian footballer. The name also features in Hungarian cultural figures such as Elek Regőczy, a composer. Namesake Settlement The same name appears in Hungarian geography as the town Elek in Békés County, Hungary. Located in the Southern Great Plain region, the town is known historically for its German Swabian community. Until World War II, it housed the county's largest German-speaking population. The town also had a Jewish community before the Holocaust. Formerly known as Renndorf in German and Aletea in Romanian, Elek became a border town after the Treaty of Trianon in 1920 and received town status in 1996. Etymology and Historical Context As a variant of Alexius, the name Elek is linked to five Byzantine emperors who ruled from the 11th to the 12th centuries. The name's spread across Europe can be traced to the veneration of Saint Alexius, a 5th-century Syrian saint particularly honored in the Eastern Church. While the Greek forms Alexios and Alexis were widely used in Byzantium, local linguistic adaptations such as Elek reflect the name's integration into the Hungarian language. Variant Forms Besides Elek, there are numerous cognates across European languages: Aleksi in Georgian; Aleix in Catalan; Aleksei/Алексей in Russian; Aliaksei/Аляксей in Belarusian; Alois in German; and Aljoša as a Slavic diminutive. Although not a formal usage, the name is related to Alexander through the shared root alexo ("to defend"), but is distinctly derived via Alexis.