Namewise

Aleksander vs Nikolai

Aleksander and Nikolaicompared 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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Aleksander was ranked #117 and Nikolai #103 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Aleksander was ranked #348 and Nikolai #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Aleksander was ranked #586 and Nikolai #1235 among boys in England and Wales.

Aleksander and Nikolai over time

Aleksander and Nikolai appear together in 2 published lists, across 86 years of shared records. Aleksander held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Nikolai in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Aleksander reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Nikolai in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2025, Nikolai moved ahead of Aleksander in Norway · Boys — #101 and #117 the year before became #117 and #103.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Aleksander and Nikolai changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #586 and #1235.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aleksander and Nikolai were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 57 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #117 and #103.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Aleksander #233 in 2019, Nikolai #894 in 2019.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys57 shared years, 19642025

    Aleksander held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Nikolai in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Aleksander #26 in 1986, Nikolai #41 in 2004.

    The order changed in 2025: Nikolai moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #101 and #117; by 2025 that had become #117 and #103.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aleksander #117, Nikolai #103.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Aleksander held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Nikolai in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Aleksander #233 in 2019, Nikolai #894 in 2019.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aleksander #586, Nikolai #1235.

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 Aleksander, Nikolai
FieldAleksanderNikolai
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables43
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOGB-ENW, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #117 (2025)Norway · Boys #103 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)64/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Aleksander has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Nikolai.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Aleksander

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #355 among boys in Norway in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1953–2025

    Highest recorded position: #26 among boys in Norway, in 1986 (recorded 1953–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #117 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Nikolai

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #349 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1946–2025

    Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in Norway, in 2004 (recorded 1946–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #103 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys