Namewise

Aengus vs Alexander

Aengus and Alexandercompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Aengus was ranked #3254 and Alexander #36 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2013, Aengus was ranked #711 and Alexander #39 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Aengus and Alexander over time

Aengus and Alexander appear together in 2 published lists, across 39 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Aengus in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aengus and Alexander were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 30 years, from 1964 to 2013, ending at #711 and #39.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 19642013

    Aengus held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Alexander in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Aengus #200 in 1973, Alexander #39 in 2013.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Aengus #711, Alexander #39.

  • England and Wales · Boys9 shared years, 19972024

    Aengus held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Alexander in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Aengus #1821 in 1998, Alexander #16 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aengus #3254, Alexander #36.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aengus, Alexander
FieldAengusAlexander
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˌælɪɡˈzændər/
Syllables24
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedAlex, Xander, Sasha, Alessandro
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #3254 (2024)United Kingdom #11 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded65/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)60/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Alexander has a recorded origin (Greek); Aengus does not have one recorded yet.
  • Aengus has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Alexander.
  • A meaning is recorded for Alexander; Aengus doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Aengus a "medium" Data Confidence level and Alexander a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Aengus

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #204 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2013

    Highest recorded position: #200 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1973 (recorded 1964–2013).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #3254 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys

Alexander

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1948

    First recorded at #320 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2014 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys