Alexander vs Conor
Alexander and Conorcompared 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 Conor #181 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Conor #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1996, Alexander was ranked #21 and Conor #98 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Conor #422 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Conor #51 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Alexander and Conor over time
Alexander and Conor appear together in 4 published lists, across 135 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Conor reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Alexander 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 Northern Ireland · Boys, Alexander moved into the top 50 at #38 in 2024 as Conor fell out of it to #51, having been #38 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2024, Alexander moved ahead of Conor in Northern Ireland · Boys — #70 and #38 the year before became #38 and #51.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Alexander and Conor averaged 33.5 places apart, ending at #38 and #51.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Conor were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #55 and #16.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #14 in 1996, Conor #57 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Conor in 62.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Conor #1 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Conor #16.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Conor in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Conor #57 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Conor #422.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Conor in 26.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Conor #4 in 1997.
The order changed in 2024: Alexander moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #70 and #38; by 2024 that had become #38 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Conor #51.
Scotland · Boys16 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Conor in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Conor #181 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Conor #181.
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 | Conor |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | The Anglicized form of Conchobar (Modern Irish Conchúr), from the elements 'cú' ('dog, hound') and 'cobar'. |
| Origin | Greek | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈkɑn.əɹ/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #11 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #16 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Alexander is recorded with a Greek origin, while Conor is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Conor.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Conor's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Alexander a "high" Data Confidence level and Conor 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
Conor
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #56 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1995 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys