Alexander vs Hugo
Alexander and Hugocompared 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 #13 and Hugo #135 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Hugo #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #33 and Hugo #23 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Hugo #46 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Hugo #81 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Hugo #42 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Hugo #101 among boys in Norway.
Alexander and Hugo over time
Alexander and Hugo appear together in 7 published lists, across 220 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 7 of them, Hugo in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 6 of those lists, and Hugo 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Hugo moved into the top 50 at #42 in 2025 as Alexander fell out of it to #55, having been #44 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2020, Hugo moved ahead of Alexander in New Zealand · Boys — #24 and #40 the year before became #32 and #26.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Hugo were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 71 years, from 1948 to 2025, ending at #81 and #101.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #12 in 2024, Hugo #135 in 2024.
List by list
Norway · Boys71 shared years, 1948–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Hugo in 17.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, Hugo #101 in 2025.
The order changed in 1970: Alexander moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #181 and #175; by 1970 that had become #134 and #176.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Hugo #101.
Republic of Ireland · Boys49 shared years, 1969–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Hugo in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Hugo #42 in 2025.
The order changed in 2025: Hugo moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #44 and #60; by 2025 that had become #55 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Hugo #42.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Hugo in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Hugo #45 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Hugo #46.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2000–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Hugo in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Hugo #67 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Hugo #81.
Scotland · Boys20 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Hugo in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Hugo #135 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Hugo #135.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys17 shared years, 2009–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Hugo in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, Hugo #18 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Hugo #18.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 2009–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Hugo in 4.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, Hugo #23 in 2023.
The order changed in 2020: Hugo moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #24 and #40; by 2020 that had become #32 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #33, Hugo #23.
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 | Hugo |
|---|---|---|
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #11 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #18 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Alexander has a recorded origin (Greek); Hugo does not have one recorded yet.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Hugo.
- A meaning is recorded for Alexander; Hugo doesn't have one written yet.
- 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 Hugo 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
Hugo
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #186 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2009–2025
Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2009–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys