Alex vs Josh
Alex and Joshcompared 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 Josh #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2000, Alex was ranked #72 and Josh #87 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #108 and Josh #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Josh #218 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #171 and Josh #857 among boys in England and Wales.
Alex and Josh over time
Alex and Josh appear together in 3 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Josh 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.
Josh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Alex 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 2006, Alex moved ahead of Josh in Northern Ireland · Boys — #75 and #38 the year before became #66 and #76.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Alex and Josh averaged 48.4 places apart, ending at #108 and #177.
- Longest-running competitions
Alex and Josh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 36 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #37 and #188.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alex #42 in 2002, Josh #84 in 2002.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys36 shared years, 1989–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Josh in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2009, Josh #56 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #37, Josh #188.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Josh in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Josh #84 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #171, Josh #857.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Josh in 9.
Highest recorded here: Alex #31 in 2009, Josh #38 in 2005.
The order changed in 2006: Alex moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #75 and #38; by 2006 that had become #66 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #108, Josh #177.
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 | Josh |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #188 (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); Josh does not have one recorded yet.
- Alex has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Josh.
- A meaning is recorded for Alex; Josh doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in 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
Josh
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #278 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys