Namewise

Alexander vs Harry

Alexander and Harrycompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Harry #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Alexander was ranked #13 and Harry #31 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Harry #20 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Harry #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Harry #25 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Alexander was ranked #33 and Harry #40 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2019, Alexander was ranked #53 and Harry #431 among boys in Norway.

Alexander and Harry over time

Alexander and Harry appear together in 7 published lists, across 241 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Harry in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 4 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 3 of those lists, Harry 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Harry moved into the top 50 at #41 in 2006 as Alexander fell out of it to #56, having been #47 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1998, Harry moved ahead of Alexander in England and Wales · Boys — #16 and #17 the year before became #19 and #15.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alexander and Harry changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1994 and 2023, ending at #33 and #40.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alexander and Harry averaged 14.9 places apart, ending at #36 and #20.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Harry rose about as far as Alexander fell — from #14 and #94 in 1992 to #22 and #39 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alexander and Harry were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 33 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #22 and #39.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #26 in 2014, Harry #4 in 2012.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1965–2025

    Alexander held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Harry in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Harry #6 in 2018.

    The order changed in 2006: Harry moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #47 and #50; by 2006 that had become #56 and #41.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Harry #25.

  • Norway · Boys38 shared years, 1948–2019

    Alexander held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Harry in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1989, Harry #75 in 1948.

    The order changed in 1968: Alexander moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #213 and #173; by 1968 that had become #188 and #203.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Alexander #53, Harry #431.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1992–2025

    Alexander held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Harry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, Harry #15 in 2018.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Harry #39.

  • New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2023

    Alexander held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Harry in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, Harry #22 in 2018.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #33, Harry #40.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Alexander held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Harry in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Harry #1 in 2011.

    The order changed in 1998: Harry moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #16 and #17; by 1998 that had become #19 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Harry #20.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Alexander held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Harry in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Harry #4 in 2012.

    The order changed in 2000: Harry moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #54 and #64; by 2000 that had become #68 and #38.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Harry #13.

  • Scotland · Boys26 shared years, 2024–2024

    Alexander held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Harry in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Harry #31 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Harry #31.

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.

Other comparisons involving Harry

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alexander, Harry
FieldAlexanderHarry
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'.A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation.
OriginGreekEnglish, medieval form/diminutive of Henry
Pronunciation/ˌælɪɡˈzændər//ˈhæri/
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesAlex, Xander, Sasha, AlessandroNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationUnited Kingdom #11 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Alexander is recorded with a Greek origin, while Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin.
  • Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Harry.
  • Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Harry'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 Harry 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2014 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Harry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #70 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys