Alex vs Sanaya
Alex and Sanayacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Alex was ranked #2605 and Sanaya #1809 among girls in England and Wales.
Alex and Sanaya over time
Alex and Sanaya appear together in 1 published list, across 22 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Sanaya 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 1 of those lists, and Sanaya 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 · Girls22 shared years, 2001–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sanaya in 9.
Highest recorded here: Alex #172 in 2001, Sanaya #852 in 2016.
The order changed in 2022: Sanaya moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #1866 and #1962; by 2022 that had become #2178 and #1452.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #2605, Sanaya #1809.
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 | Sanaya |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #1809 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alex has a recorded origin (Greek, short form); Sanaya does not have one recorded yet.
- Alex and Sanaya both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Alex; Sanaya doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.
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 #2605 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sanaya
Popularity journey
First recorded2001
First recorded at #3998 among girls in England and Wales in 2001 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2001–2025
Highest recorded position: #852 among girls in England and Wales, in 2016 (recorded 2001–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1809 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls