Alexander vs Benjamin
Alexander and Benjamincompared 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, Alexander was ranked #13 and Benjamin #78 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Benjamin #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #33 and Benjamin #39 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Benjamin #61 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Benjamin #76 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Benjamin #48 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Benjamin #83 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Alexander and Benjamin over time
Alexander and Benjamin appear together in 7 published lists, across 302 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Benjamin in 2.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 2023, Alexander moved ahead of Benjamin in New Zealand · Boys — #42 and #36 the year before became #33 and #39.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alexander and Benjamin changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1965 and 2025, ending at #22 and #46.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alexander and Benjamin averaged 9.3 places apart, ending at #36 and #61.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Benjamin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 58 years, from 1965 to 2025, ending at #22 and #46.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #31 in 2018, Benjamin #50 in 2020.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Benjamin in 9.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Benjamin #50 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Benjamin #83.
Norway · Boys60 shared years, 1950–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Benjamin in 23.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, Benjamin #13 in 2016.
The order changed in 2014: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #17 and #22; by 2014 that had become #30 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Benjamin #48.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys58 shared years, 1965–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Benjamin in 42.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, Benjamin #5 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Benjamin #46.
New Zealand · Boys49 shared years, 1971–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Benjamin in 46.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, Benjamin #3 in 2003.
The order changed in 2023: Alexander moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #42 and #36; by 2023 that had become #33 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #33, Benjamin #39.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Benjamin in 13.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Benjamin #6 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Benjamin #61.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Benjamin in 12.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Benjamin #22 in 2002.
The order changed in 2012: Alexander moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #58 and #52; by 2012 that had become #49 and #64.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Benjamin #76.
Scotland · Boys16 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Benjamin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Benjamin #78 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Benjamin #78.
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 | Benjamin |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | Commonly interpreted as 'son of the right hand', with the underlying literal sense being 'son of the south' (since 'right' indicated the southerly direction in the biblical east-facing orientation convention). |
| Origin | Greek | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Alex, Xander, Sasha, Alessandro | Not yet recorded |
| 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 #46 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Alexander is recorded with a Greek origin, while Benjamin is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Benjamin.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Benjamin's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Alexander a "high" Data Confidence level and Benjamin a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Benjamin
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1970–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1970–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys