Alex vs Rae

Alex and Raecompared 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.

Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Rae #478 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #171 and Rae #3688 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Alex was ranked #304 and Rae #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alex was ranked #2253 and Rae #347 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Alex was ranked #350 and Rae #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Alex and Rae over time

Alex and Rae appear together in 2 published lists, across 41 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Rae 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.

Alex reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Rae 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.

List by list

England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Rae in 12.
Highest recorded here: Alex #161 in 1996, Rae #282 in 2021.
The order changed in 2014: Rae moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #882 and #900; by 2014 that had become #1177 and #731.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #2253, Rae #347.
England and Wales · Boys12 shared years, 1996–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Rae in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #43 in 1996, Rae #2730 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #171, Rae #3688.

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.

Alex vs Scott
In 1996 they stood at #43 and #48 in England and Wales · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #171 and #1025.
Alex · Scott · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Alex vs Ashley
In 1996 they stood at #43 and #40 in England and Wales · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #171 and #880.
Alex · Ashley · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Alex vs Marcus
Over 53 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Alex rose about as far as Marcus fell — from #279 and #99 in 1972 to #37 and #232 in 2025.
Alex · Marcus · 53 shared years, 1972–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
Alex vs Ronan
Over 53 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Alex rose about as far as Ronan fell — from #279 and #46 in 1972 to #37 and #86 in 2025.
Alex · Ronan · 53 shared years, 1972–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alex, Rae
Field	Alex	Rae
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	female
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
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (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); Rae does not have one recorded yet.
Alex has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Rae.
A meaning is recorded for Alex; Rae 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

Rae

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #823 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls