Lysander as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Lysander

What is the meaning of the name Lysander ?

The baby name Lysander is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /lɪˈsændər/ — lih-SAN-der.

Lysander is Greek in Origin.

Derived from Ancient Greek Lysandros (Λύσανδρος), formed from lysis “release, freedom” and anēr/andros “man,” Lysander carries the sense of “liberator,” “freer of men,” or “he who releases.” Pronounced lye-SAN-der in English, it shares the -ander element with Alexander but retains a distinct meaning focused on emancipation rather than defense.

The name is borne by the renowned Spartan admiral Lysander, victor over Athens at the end of the Peloponnesian War, which secured its classical cachet. Renaissance and early modern humanists revived it, and Shakespeare reinforced its appeal through the romantic hero in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Usage in English has remained uncommon yet steady, with 19th‑century notables like American abolitionist Lysander Spooner adding reformist associations. International variants include Greek Lysandros, French Lysandre, Italian and Spanish/Portuguese Lisandro; feminine forms Lysandra and Lisandra also appear. Possible nicknames are Lys, Sander, and Andy.