Alexander vs Craig
Alexander and Craigcompared 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 Craig #478 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1991, Alexander was ranked #15 and Craig #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Alexander was ranked #20 and Craig #90 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Craig #2263 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Alexander was ranked #46 and Craig #415 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #48 and Craig #516 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Alexander and Craig over time
Alexander and Craig appear together in 6 published lists, across 193 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Craig in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Craig reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Alexander in none. 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1984, Alexander moved ahead of Craig in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #37 and #35 the year before became #36 and #42.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alexander and Craig averaged 45.7 places apart, ending at #15 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Craig were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1953 to 1991, ending at #15 and #97.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #14 in 1996, Craig #81 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #60 and #68 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 8 places apart; by 2015 they were #46 and #415.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Craig in 20.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Craig #39 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #48, Craig #516.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1953–1991
Alexander held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Craig in 28.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #15 in 1991, Craig #9 in 1964.
The order changed in 1984: Alexander moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #37 and #35; by 1984 that had become #36 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Alexander #15, Craig #97.
New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 1954–1992
Alexander held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Craig in 25.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #20 in 1992, Craig #6 in 1971.
The order changed in 1987: Alexander moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #41 and #39; by 1987 that had become #35 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Alexander #20, Craig #90.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Craig in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Craig #81 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Craig #2263.
Scotland · Boys21 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Craig in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Craig #478 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Craig #478.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2015
Alexander held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Craig in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #40 in 2007, Craig #68 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Alexander #46, Craig #415.
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 | Craig |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | From the Scottish surname derived from Gaelic 'creag', meaning 'crag, rocks, outcrop' — originally denoting someone who lived near a crag. |
| Origin | Greek | Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈkɹeɪɡ/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 1 |
| 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) | Scotland · Boys #478 (2024) |
| 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 Craig is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 1 for Craig.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Craig'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 Craig 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
Craig
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2263 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys