Alex vs Jake
Alex and Jakecompared 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 Jake #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2013, Alex was ranked #90 and Jake #51 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2016, Alex was ranked #97 and Jake #80 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #108 and Jake #84 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Jake #165 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #171 and Jake #185 among boys in England and Wales.
Alex and Jake over time
Alex and Jake appear together in 5 published lists, across 150 years of shared records. Jake held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Alex in 1.
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, Jake in 1. 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 2023, Alex moved ahead of Jake in England and Wales · Boys — #139 and #134 the year before became #152 and #162.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alex and Jake changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1991 and 2016, ending at #97 and #80.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alex and Jake averaged 25.1 places apart, ending at #171 and #185.
- Longest-running competitions
Alex and Jake were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 41 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #37 and #95.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Alex #27 in 2004, Jake #44 in 2005.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1983–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Jake in 14.
Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2009, Jake #25 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #37, Jake #95.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Jake in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Jake #15 in 2006.
The order changed in 2023: Alex moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #139 and #134; by 2023 that had become #152 and #162.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #171, Jake #185.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jake in 28.
Highest recorded here: Alex #31 in 2009, Jake #10 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #108, Jake #84.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys27 shared years, 1987–2013
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jake in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alex #53 in 2005, Jake #7 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Alex #90, Jake #51.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1991–2016
Alex held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Jake in 13.
Highest recorded here: Alex #27 in 2004, Jake #44 in 2005.
The order changed in 2015: Jake moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #76 and #80; by 2015 that had become #90 and #70.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Alex #97, Jake #80.
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 | Jake |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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'. | A medieval variant of Jack, also sometimes used as a short form of Jacob. |
| Origin | Greek, short form | English, medieval variant |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæl.ɪks/ | /ˈd͡ʒeɪk/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #95 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Greek, short form origin, while Jake is recorded with a English, medieval variant origin.
- Alex and Jake both have 2 syllables.
- Alex's recorded meaning differs from Jake's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
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
Jake
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #330 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1986–2020
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1986–2020).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys