Alexander vs Jacob
Alexander and Jacobcompared 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 Jacob #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #13 and Jacob #27 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Jacob #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Jacob #30 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Alexander was ranked #33 and Jacob #66 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Jacob #62 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Jacob #59 among boys in Norway.
Alexander and Jacob over time
Alexander and Jacob appear together in 7 published lists, across 278 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jacob in 3.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 Northern Ireland · Boys, Jacob moved into the top 50 at #24 in 2010 as Alexander fell out of it to #53, having been #41 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2009, Jacob moved ahead of Alexander in England and Wales · Boys — #19 and #20 the year before became #22 and #18.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alexander and Jacob changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1982 and 2025, ending at #22 and #42.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alexander and Jacob averaged 10.0 places apart, ending at #36 and #30.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Jacob were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 44 years, from 1982 to 2025, ending at #22 and #42.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #31 in 2018, Jacob #37 in 2016.
List by list
Norway · Boys72 shared years, 1948–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Jacob in 13.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, Jacob #34 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Jacob #59.
New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 1977–2023
Alexander held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Jacob in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, Jacob #6 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alexander #33, Jacob #66.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1982–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jacob in 15.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, Jacob #10 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Jacob #42.
Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1980–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Jacob in 2.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Jacob #37 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Jacob #62.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Jacob in 19.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Jacob #4 in 2013.
The order changed in 2009: Jacob moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #19 and #20; by 2009 that had become #22 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Jacob #30.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Jacob in 16.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Jacob #5 in 2017.
The order changed in 2010: Jacob moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #41 and #51; by 2010 that had become #53 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Jacob #13.
Scotland · Boys20 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Jacob in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Jacob #27 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Jacob #27.
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 | Jacob |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | Commonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'. |
| Origin | Greek | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈdʒeɪkəb/ |
| 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 #42 (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 Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Jacob.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Jacob'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 Jacob 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
Jacob
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #273 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys