Alessio is the Italian form of Alexis, from the Greek alexein, "to defend", so it means "defender" or "helper"; Saint Alexius of Rome, a 5th-century holy man, made it a traditional name in Italy. Among Italian American families it offers a fresher alternative to Alessandro and Alex. Alessio has risen quickly, from number 2487 in 2015 into the US top 1000 in 2024 and up to number 867 among boys in 2025, its highest rank yet.