Alexander vs George
Alexander and Georgecompared 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 George #6 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #33 and George #7 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #13 and George #48 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and George #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and George #40 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and George #112 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #67 and George #364 among boys in Norway.
Alexander and George over time
Alexander and George appear together in 7 published lists, across 327 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, George in 1.
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.
Alexander reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, George in 2. 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 1998, George moved ahead of Alexander in England and Wales · Boys — #16 and #18 the year before became #19 and #17.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alexander and George changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2023, ending at #33 and #7.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alexander and George averaged 12.6 places apart, ending at #36 and #6.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and George were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 71 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #22 and #24.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #12 in 2024, George #48 in 2024.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys71 shared years, 1952–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 47 of those years, George in 24.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, George #24 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, George #24.
New Zealand · Boys62 shared years, 1954–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 36 of those years, George in 26.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, George #5 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #33, George #7.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 37 of those years, George in 25.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, George #52 in 1964.
The order changed in 1990: Alexander moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #116 and #105; by 1990 that had become #105 and #157.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, George #112.
Norway · Boys56 shared years, 1948–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 56 of those years, George in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, George #253 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #67, George #364.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 2 of those years, George in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, George #2 in 2018.
The order changed in 1998: George moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #16 and #18; by 1998 that had become #19 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, George #6.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 24 of those years, George in 4.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, George #25 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, George #40.
Scotland · Boys19 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 19 of those years, George in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, George #48 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, George #48.
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 | George |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | Farmer, earth-worker. |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ |
| 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 #24 (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
- Both Alexander and George share a recorded Greek origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for George.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from George'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 George 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
George
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys