Alexander vs Charley
Alexander and Charleycompared 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 2018, Alexander was ranked #31 and Charley #749 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Charley #2443 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Alexander was ranked #49 and Charley #273 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Alexander and Charley over time
Alexander and Charley appear together in 3 published lists, across 51 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Charley in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Alexander reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Charley in 1. 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #14 in 1996, Charley #263 in 1998.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Charley in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Charley #263 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Charley #2443.
Republic of Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 1989–2018
Alexander held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Charley in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Charley #307 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Alexander #31, Charley #749.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 2000–2012
Alexander held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Charley in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #40 in 2007, Charley #232 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Alexander #49, Charley #273.
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 | Charley |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Alex, Xander, Sasha, Alessandro | 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 | United Kingdom #11 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Alexander has a recorded origin (Greek); Charley does not have one recorded yet.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Charley.
- A meaning is recorded for Alexander; Charley doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Alexander a "high" Data Confidence level and Charley 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
Charley
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #307 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2024
Highest recorded position: #115 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1999–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls