Alex vs Anneli
Alex and Annelicompared 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 · Girls
In 2021, Alex was ranked #1866 and Anneli #5581 among girls in England and Wales.
Alex and Anneli over time
Alex and Anneli appear together in 1 published list, across 12 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Anneli in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Alex reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Anneli 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls12 shared years, 1997–2021
Alex held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Anneli in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #179 in 1997, Anneli #2802 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Alex #1866, Anneli #5581.
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
| Field | Alex | Anneli |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| Meaning | A short form of Alexander, Alexandra and other names beginning with 'Alex' — from Greek elements meaning 'defender' and 'man/people'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek, short form | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæl.ɪks/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | Norway · Girls #493 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alex has a recorded origin (Greek, short form); Anneli does not have one recorded yet.
- Alex has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Anneli.
- A meaning is recorded for Alex; Anneli doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
How each name got here
Alex
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #346 among boys in Norway in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1972–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1972–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #259 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Anneli
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #406 among girls in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1959–2025
Highest recorded position: #225 among girls in Norway, in 1985 (recorded 1959–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #493 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls