Alexander vs Charlie
Alexander and Charliecompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Charlie #8 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #33 and Charlie #9 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Charlie #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Charlie #13 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #13 and Charlie #19 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #40 and Charlie #22 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Charlie #211 among boys in Norway.
Alexander and Charlie over time
Alexander and Charlie appear together in 7 published lists, across 193 years of shared records. Charlie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Alexander in 3.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 5 of those lists, Charlie 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Charlie moved into the top 50 at #36 in 2006 as Alexander fell out of it to #56, having been #47 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Charlie moved ahead of Alexander in England and Wales · Boys — #20 and #24 the year before became #20 and #15.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alexander and Charlie averaged 14.6 places apart, ending at #40 and #22.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Charlie were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #40 and #22.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #26 in 2014, Charlie #3 in 2013.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1983–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Charlie in 20.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Charlie #5 in 2022.
The order changed in 2006: Charlie moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #47 and #52; by 2006 that had become #56 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Charlie #13.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Charlie in 22.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Charlie #4 in 2012.
The order changed in 2004: Charlie moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #20 and #24; by 2004 that had become #20 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #40, Charlie #22.
Scotland · Boys29 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Charlie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Charlie #19 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Charlie #19.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Charlie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Charlie #3 in 2013.
The order changed in 2004: Charlie moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #56 and #60; by 2004 that had become #60 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Charlie #8.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 2000–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Charlie in 5.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, Charlie #8 in 2024.
The order changed in 2021: Charlie moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #11 and #13; by 2021 that had become #17 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Charlie #12.
Norway · Boys26 shared years, 1990–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Charlie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 1990, Charlie #189 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Charlie #211.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 2003–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Charlie in 12.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, Charlie #6 in 2021.
The order changed in 2015: Charlie moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #13 and #15; by 2015 that had become #18 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #33, Charlie #9.
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 | Charlie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | A diminutive of Charles, ultimately interpreted as 'man' or, by an alternative theory, 'army'. |
| Origin | Greek | English, via Germanic Karl |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈtʃɑːli/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #11 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #12 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Greek origin, while Charlie is recorded with a English, via Germanic Karl origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Charlie.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Charlie'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 Charlie 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 #40 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Charlie
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #282 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2013 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #747 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls