Namewise

Alex vs Fionn

Alex and Fionncompared 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 2025, Alex was ranked #37 and Fionn #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Alex was ranked #108 and Fionn #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Fionn #330 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2004, Alex was ranked #199 and Fionn #4598 among girls in England and Wales.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Alex was ranked #207 and Fionn #658 among boys in England and Wales.

Alex and Fionn over time

Alex and Fionn appear together in 4 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Fionn in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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 4 of those lists, and Fionn 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 2019, Fionn moved ahead of Alex in Northern Ireland · Boys — #58 and #60 the year before became #57 and #49.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alex and Fionn changed places 9 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1972 and 2025, ending at #37 and #6.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 26 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Alex and Fionn averaged 41.2 places apart, ending at #108 and #26.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alex and Fionn were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #207 and #658.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys50 shared years, 1972–2025

    Alex held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Fionn in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2009, Fionn #6 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2020: Fionn moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #14 and #16; by 2020 that had become #21 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #37, Fionn #6.

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

    Alex held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Fionn in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Fionn #555 in 2022.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #207, Fionn #658.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1999–2024

    Alex held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Fionn in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #31 in 2009, Fionn #26 in 2024.

    The order changed in 2019: Fionn moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #58 and #60; by 2019 that had become #57 and #49.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #108, Fionn #26.

  • England and Wales · Girls8 shared years, 1996–2004

    Alex held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Fionn in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #161 in 1996, Fionn #2152 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Alex #199, Fionn #4598.

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 Fionn

Pairs where Fionn 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, Fionn
FieldAlexFionn
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 interpreted as 'white' or 'fair', extending in Old Irish usage to 'bright' and figuratively 'true, just'. Strongly associated with the mythological hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.
OriginGreek, short formIrish
Pronunciation/ˈæl.ɪks//ˈfɪn/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #6 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alex is recorded with a Greek, short form origin, while Fionn is recorded with a Irish origin.
  • Alex has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Fionn.
  • Alex's recorded meaning differs from Fionn's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

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

Fionn

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #257 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1971–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1971–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #658 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys