Alex vs Emi
Alex and Emicompared 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, Alex was ranked #171 and Emi #5119 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Alex was ranked #267 and Emi #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alex was ranked #2253 and Emi #1198 among girls in England and Wales.
Alex and Emi over time
Alex and Emi appear together in 1 published list, across 28 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Emi 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.
Alex reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Emi 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alex and Emi changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #2253 and #1198.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Emi in 5.
Highest recorded here: Alex #172 in 2001, Emi #1198 in 2024.
The order changed in 2021: Emi moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #1556 and #1939; by 2021 that had become #1866 and #1286.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #2253, Emi #1198.
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 | Emi |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | Scotland · Girls #790 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alex has a recorded origin (Greek, short form); Emi does not have one recorded yet.
- Alex and Emi both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Alex; Emi doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-SCT, 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
Emi
Popularity journey
First recorded1997
First recorded at #3174 among girls in England and Wales in 1997 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1198 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls