Alex vs Joey
Alex and Joeycompared 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 Joey #90 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Joey #103 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #108 and Joey #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #171 and Joey #168 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Alex was ranked #244 and Joey #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alex was ranked #2253 and Joey #2771 among girls in England and Wales.
Alex and Joey over time
Alex and Joey appear together in 4 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Joey in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Alex reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Joey 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Alex and Joey were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 30 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #37 and #90.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1990–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Joey in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2009, Joey #78 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #37, Joey #90.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Joey in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Joey #97 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #171, Joey #168.
England and Wales · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Joey in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #172 in 2001, Joey #2085 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #2253, Joey #2771.
Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 2004–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Joey in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #31 in 2009, Joey #118 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #108, Joey #118.
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 | Joey |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #90 (2025) |
| 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); Joey does not have one recorded yet.
- Alex has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Joey.
- A meaning is recorded for Alex; Joey doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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
Joey
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #323 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1990–2025
Highest recorded position: #78 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1990–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys