Alexander vs Arthur
Alexander and Arthurcompared 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 · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Arthur #4 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #33 and Arthur #11 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #13 and Arthur #24 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Arthur #16 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Arthur #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Arthur #57 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Arthur #83 among boys in Norway.
Alexander and Arthur over time
Alexander and Arthur appear together in 7 published lists, across 228 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 7 of them, Arthur in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Alexander reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Arthur 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 2017, Arthur moved ahead of Alexander in England and Wales · Boys — #21 and #30 the year before became #22 and #19.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alexander and Arthur changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1948 and 2025, ending at #81 and #83.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur rose about as far as Alexander fell — from #14 and #234 in 1996 to #36 and #4 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Arthur were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 69 years, from 1948 to 2025, ending at #81 and #83.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #12 in 2024, Arthur #24 in 2024.
List by list
Norway · Boys69 shared years, 1948–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Arthur in 9.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, Arthur #74 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Arthur #83.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Arthur in 6.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Arthur #47 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Arthur #57.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Arthur in 8.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Arthur #3 in 2020.
The order changed in 2017: Arthur moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #21 and #30; by 2017 that had become #22 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Arthur #4.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Arthur in 7.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Arthur #14 in 2023.
The order changed in 2018: Arthur moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #30 and #42; by 2018 that had become #26 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Arthur #16.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys16 shared years, 1952–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Arthur in 5.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #10 in 2017, Arthur #18 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Arthur #19.
New Zealand · Boys16 shared years, 1954–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Arthur in 4.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, Arthur #11 in 2023.
The order changed in 2020: Arthur moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #24 and #35; by 2020 that had become #32 and #31.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #33, Arthur #11.
Scotland · Boys16 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Arthur in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Arthur #24 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Arthur #24.
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 | Alexander | Arthur |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. |
| Origin | Greek | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈɑɹθər/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Alex, Xander, Sasha, Alessandro | Art, Artie |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #11 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Alexander is recorded with a Greek origin, while Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Arthur.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Arthur's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Alexander
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #320 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2014 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Arthur
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #153 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys