Namewise

Alex vs Sunny

Alex and Sunnycompared 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 Sunny #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Sunny #727 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Alex was ranked #171 and Sunny #552 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Alex was ranked #304 and Sunny #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Alex was ranked #2253 and Sunny #855 among girls in England and Wales.

Alex and Sunny over time

Alex and Sunny appear together in 2 published lists, across 58 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Sunny 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 Sunny 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 · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Alex held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sunny in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Sunny #552 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #171, Sunny #552.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Alex held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Sunny in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #161 in 1996, Sunny #855 in 2024.

    The order changed in 2018: Sunny moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #1411 and #1733; by 2018 that had become #1586 and #1393.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #2253, Sunny #855.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Alex, Sunny
FieldAlexSunny
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemaleUsed for both boys and girls
MeaningA short form of Alexander, Alexandra and other names beginning with 'Alex' — from Greek elements meaning 'defender' and 'man/people'.Not yet recorded
OriginGreek, short formNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈæl.ɪks/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alex has a recorded origin (Greek, short form); Sunny does not have one recorded yet.
  • Alex and Sunny both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Alex; Sunny doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Alex

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1972–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1972–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #259 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Sunny

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #2096 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

  2. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls