Alexander vs Dennis

Alexander and Denniscompared 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.

England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Dennis #453 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #44 and Dennis #655 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Alexander was ranked #48 and Dennis #392 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Dennis #156 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1970, Alexander was ranked #83 and Dennis #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1965, Alexander was ranked #100 and Dennis #98 among boys in New Zealand.

Alexander and Dennis over time

Alexander and Dennis appear together in 5 published lists, across 177 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Dennis in 2.

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.

Alexander reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Dennis 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1968, Alexander moved ahead of Dennis in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #83 and #73 the year before became #88 and #96.
Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Dennis were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 65 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #81 and #156.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #80 in 1952, Dennis #34 in 1952.

List by list

Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1952–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 65 of those years, Dennis in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, Dennis #70 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Dennis #156.
Republic of Ireland · Boys56 shared years, 1964–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 56 of those years, Dennis in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Dennis #170 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #44, Dennis #655.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Dennis in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Dennis #316 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Dennis #453.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys16 shared years, 1952–1970
Alexander held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Dennis in 14.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #80 in 1952, Dennis #34 in 1952.
The order changed in 1968: Alexander moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #83 and #73; by 1968 that had become #88 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 1970: Alexander #83, Dennis #100.
New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 1954–1965
Alexander held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Dennis in 11.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #73 in 1954, Dennis #46 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1965: Alexander #100, Dennis #98.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Alexander

Pairs where Alexander shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Alexander vs Garry
In 1964 they stood at #116 and #114 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2009 they were #50 and #701.
Alexander · Garry · 45 shared years, 1964–2009 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2009 Republic of Ireland ranking
Alexander vs Roger
In 1964 they stood at #116 and #113 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2021 they were #43 and #631.
Alexander · Roger · 41 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking
Craig vs Alexander
In 1997 they stood at #68 and #60 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 8 places apart; by 2015 they were #415 and #46.
Craig · Alexander · 17 shared years, 1997–2015 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2015 Northern Ireland ranking
Alexander vs Steven
In 1997 they stood at #60 and #59 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2022 they were #47 and #414.
Alexander · Steven · 24 shared years, 1997–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2022 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alexander, Dennis
Field	Alexander	Dennis
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'.	Not yet recorded
Origin	Greek	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˌælɪɡˈzændər/
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, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	United Kingdom #11 (2025)	Norway · Boys #156 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	65/100	Not yet recorded
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 has a recorded origin (Greek); Dennis does not have one recorded yet.
Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Dennis.
A meaning is recorded for Alexander; Dennis doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
The available evidence gives Alexander a "high" Data Confidence level and Dennis 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

Dennis

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1970
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1970).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #156 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys