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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #12 and Harry #31 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Harry #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #40 and Harry #19 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 6 published lists, across 216 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 4 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 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alexander and Harry averaged 15.1 places apart, ending at #40 and #19.
- 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #40 and #19.
- 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.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Harry in 28.
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, 2025: Alexander #40, Harry #19.
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.
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.
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 | Harry |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly 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. |
| Origin | Greek | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈhæri/ |
| 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) | England and Wales · Boys #19 (2025) |
| 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 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
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 #40 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Harry
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys