Alexander vs Cooper
Alexander and Coopercompared 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 Cooper #121 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Cooper #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #33 and Cooper #21 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Cooper #139 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Cooper #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Cooper #198 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Alexander and Cooper over time
Alexander and Cooper appear together in 6 published lists, across 124 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Cooper in 1.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 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 2016, Cooper moved ahead of Alexander in New Zealand · Boys — #18 and #20 the year before became #31 and #15.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alexander and Cooper averaged 13.5 places apart, ending at #22 and #19.
- Mirrored each other
Over 27 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Cooper rose about as far as Alexander fell — from #16 and #2022 in 1997 to #36 and #139 in 2024.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #13 in 2014, Cooper #12 in 2012.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1998–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Cooper in 9.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, Cooper #4 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Cooper #19.
England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Cooper in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #16 in 1997, Cooper #134 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Cooper #139.
New Zealand · Boys18 shared years, 2006–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Cooper in 12.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, Cooper #12 in 2012.
The order changed in 2016: Cooper moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #18 and #20; by 2016 that had become #31 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #33, Cooper #21.
Northern Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 2006–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Cooper in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Cooper #120 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Cooper #125.
Republic of Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 2008–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Cooper in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Cooper #142 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Cooper #198.
Scotland · Boys15 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Cooper in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Cooper #121 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Cooper #121.
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 | Cooper |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | An English occupational surname meaning 'barrel maker', from Middle English 'couper'. |
| Origin | Greek | English (occupational surname) |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈkup.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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Alexander is recorded with a Greek origin, while Cooper is recorded with a English (occupational surname) origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Cooper.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Cooper's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Alexander a "high" Data Confidence level and Cooper 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
Cooper
Popularity journey
First recorded1997
First recorded at #2022 among boys in England and Wales in 1997 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1998–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1998–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys