Alex vs Derry
Alex and Derrycompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2016, Alex was ranked #17 and Derry #541 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2022, Alex was ranked #139 and Derry #3048 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2019, Alex was ranked #1389 and Derry #3541 among girls in England and Wales.
Alex and Derry over time
Alex and Derry appear together in 3 published lists, across 49 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Derry 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.
Derry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Alex 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 · Boys26 shared years, 1996–2022
Alex held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Derry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Derry #654 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Alex #139, Derry #3048.
Republic of Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 1975–2016
Alex held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Derry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2010, Derry #253 in 1989.
The order changed in 1981: Alex moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #321 and #321; by 1981 that had become #206 and #292.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Alex #17, Derry #541.
England and Wales · Girls8 shared years, 1998–2019
Alex held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Derry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #179 in 1998, Derry #1979 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Alex #1389, Derry #3541.
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 | Derry |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| 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 | 2 |
| 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, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #3048 (2022) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alex has a recorded origin (Greek, short form); Derry does not have one recorded yet.
- Alex and Derry both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Alex; Derry doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
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
Derry
Popularity journey
First recorded1975
First recorded at #321 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1975–2016
Highest recorded position: #253 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1989 (recorded 1975–2016).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2022
Most recently recorded at #3048 among boys in England and Wales, in 2022.
England and Wales · Boys