Alexander vs Hudson
Alexander and Hudsoncompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Hudson #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #33 and Hudson #10 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #13 and Hudson #54 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Hudson #42 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Hudson #99 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Hudson #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Alexander and Hudson over time
Alexander and Hudson appear together in 6 published lists, across 101 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Hudson in 0.
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 5 of those lists, and Hudson 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 2021, Hudson moved ahead of Alexander in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #11 and #16 the year before became #17 and #15.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in Scotland · Boys, Alexander and Hudson averaged 41.1 places apart, ending at #13 and #54.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Hudson rose about as far as Alexander fell — from #14 and #2863 in 1996 to #36 and #42 in 2024.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #12 in 2024, Hudson #54 in 2024.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Hudson in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Hudson #42 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Hudson #42.
Scotland · Boys23 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Hudson in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Hudson #54 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Hudson #54.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys14 shared years, 2012–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Hudson in 5.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, Hudson #7 in 2023.
The order changed in 2021: Hudson moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #11 and #16; by 2021 that had become #17 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Hudson #8.
Republic of Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 2012–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Hudson in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Hudson #143 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Hudson #188.
Northern Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 2013–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Hudson in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Hudson #76 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Hudson #99.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Hudson in 5.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, Hudson #9 in 2022.
The order changed in 2019: Hudson moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #26 and #33; by 2019 that had become #24 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #33, Hudson #10.
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 | Hudson |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | 'Son of Hudde', an English surname associated with explorer Henry Hudson. |
| Origin | Greek | English (patronymic surname) |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈhʌd.sən/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #11 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #8 (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
- Alexander is recorded with a Greek origin, while Hudson is recorded with a English (patronymic surname) origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Hudson.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Hudson'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 Hudson 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
Hudson
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2863 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2012–2025
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 2012–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys