Who Is Alexis Ohanian? 5 Things to Know About Serena William’s Husband

In November 2017, Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, married Alexis Ohanian in a stunning ceremony. Alexis quickly went from being her supportive partner to her biggest fan.

Before Serena stepped away from tennis in September 2022, Alexis was often seen in the player’s box at her tournaments, cheering her on, watching intently, and fist-bumping to pump her up! The couple, who share their adorable daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. and baby girl Adira River Ohanian, are a true power couple.

Just like Serena is a powerhouse, there’s so much more to Alexis than meets the eye. Find out more about him below!

Co-Founder of Reddit

Alexis co-founded Reddit in 2005 with Steve Huffman and left the company in 2007, but returned full-time in 2015. He also helped launch Hipmunk, a travel search website, and Breadpig, a company that creates geeky products and donates the proceeds to charity.

Started Dating Serena Williams in October 2015

Alexis and Serena reportedly met over lunch and started dating shortly after. Initially, the couple kept their relationship private, but now they’re essentially #CoupleGoals. They are consistently supportive of each other, with Alexis often gushing about how incredible Serena is as a mom, a tennis player, and an inspiration.

Advocate for Paid Parental Leave

After the birth of their sweet, two-year-old girl, whom they call Olympia, Alexis really had to step in after Serena suffered life-threatening complications after undergoing a c-section. Since then, Alexis has stood steadfast as an advocate for paid leave, writing in an August 2019 op-ed for The New York Times, “We need a federal bill that mandates quality paid family leave for everyone — birth parents, adoptive parents and caregivers alike. Until that happens, dads, let me be your air cover. I took my full 16 weeks and I’m still ambitious and care about my career. Talk to your bosses and tell them I sent you.”

Helped Create the Hijab Emoji

In addition to his advocacy for paid parental leave, Alexis uses his privilege and platform to uplift marginalized communities. In October 2017, he collaborated with two women to create a design for a headscarf emoji. “Proud to be working with @RayoufAlhumedhi and @jenny8lee on a proposal for the Unicode Technical Committee to add a headscarf emoji, for millions of women across the globe to be represented,” he shared to his website on Oct. 6, 2017.

Best-Selling Author

He released his book, Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed, in 2013. The book serves as a helpful guide for aspiring entrepreneurs.