Namewise

Alex vs Finn

Alex and Finncompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Alex was ranked #108 and Finn #15 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Alex was ranked #37 and Finn #15 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Finn #17 among boys in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2018, Alex was ranked #96 and Finn #32 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2013, Alex was ranked #90 and Finn #69 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Alex was ranked #207 and Finn #74 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Alex was ranked #259 and Finn #153 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Alex was ranked #198 and Finn #883 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2021, Alex was ranked #1866 and Finn #3519 among girls in England and Wales.

Alex and Finn over time

Alex and Finn appear together in 7 published lists, across 205 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Finn in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 4 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 5 of those lists, Finn in 2. 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 2018, Finn moved ahead of Alex in England and Wales · Boys — #92 and #96 the year before became #91 and #76.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alex and Finn changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1998 and 2018, ending at #96 and #32.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Alex and Finn averaged 19.1 places apart, ending at #96 and #32.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alex and Finn were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #207 and #74.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alex #172 in 2001, Finn #2416 in 2000.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys66 shared years, 1954–2025

    Alex held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Finn in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #154 in 2009, Finn #46 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #259, Finn #153.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1982–2025

    Alex held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Finn in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2009, Finn #6 in 2020.

    The order changed in 2020: Finn moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #14 and #22; by 2020 that had become #21 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #37, Finn #15.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Alex held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Finn in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Finn #72 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2018: Finn moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #92 and #96; by 2018 that had become #91 and #76.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #207, Finn #74.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Alex held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Finn in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #31 in 2009, Finn #7 in 2020.

    The order changed in 2011: Finn moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #45 and #52; by 2011 that had become #35 and #35.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #108, Finn #15.

  • New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1998–2018

    Alex held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Finn in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #27 in 2004, Finn #32 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Alex #96, Finn #32.

  • England and Wales · Girls12 shared years, 1997–2021

    Alex held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Finn in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #172 in 2001, Finn #2416 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Alex #1866, Finn #3519.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys8 shared years, 2005–2013

    Alex held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Finn in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #53 in 2005, Finn #58 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2011: Finn moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #72 and #74; by 2011 that had become #90 and #58.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Alex #90, Finn #69.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Alex

Pairs where Alex shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Finn

Pairs where Finn shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alex, Finn
FieldAlexFinn
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA short form of Alexander, Alexandra and other names beginning with 'Alex' — from Greek elements meaning 'defender' and 'man/people'.Traditionally associated with the Irish hero Fionn mac Cumhaill; functions as the usual Anglicised spelling of the Irish name Fionn.
OriginGreek, short formIrish
Pronunciation/ˈæl.ɪks//fɪn/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #15 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alex is recorded with a Greek, short form origin, while Finn is recorded with a Irish origin.
  • Alex has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Finn.
  • Alex's recorded meaning differs from Finn's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Alex

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1972–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1972–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2605 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Finn

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #31 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1982–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2020 (recorded 1982–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #74 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys