Namewise

Alexander vs Jamie

Alexander and Jamiecompared 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 Jamie #87 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2007, Alexander was ranked #20 and Jamie #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2011, Alexander was ranked #28 and Jamie #93 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Jamie #222 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Jamie #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Jamie #47 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Jamie #378 among boys in Norway.

Alexander and Jamie over time

Alexander and Jamie appear together in 6 published lists, across 211 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jamie in 2.

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.

Jamie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Alexander 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 Northern Ireland · Boys, Alexander moved into the top 50 at #29 in 2021 as Jamie fell out of it to #69, having been #41 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1991, Alexander moved ahead of Jamie in New Zealand · Boys — #39 and #23 the year before became #25 and #31.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alexander and Jamie changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #38 and #118.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alexander and Jamie averaged 57.1 places apart, ending at #36 and #222.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alexander and Jamie were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1965 to 2007, ending at #20 and #100.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #14 in 1996, Jamie #28 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1972–2025

    Alexander held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jamie in 46.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Jamie #10 in 2006.

    The order changed in 1979: Jamie moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #134 and #144; by 1979 that had become #150 and #147.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Jamie #47.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1965–2007

    Alexander held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Jamie in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1992, Jamie #28 in 1972.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Alexander #20, Jamie #100.

  • New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1976–2011

    Alexander held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Jamie in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #19 in 1994, Jamie #23 in 1990.

    The order changed in 1991: Alexander moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #39 and #23; by 1991 that had become #25 and #31.

    Most recent shared year, 2011: Alexander #28, Jamie #93.

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

    Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jamie in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Jamie #28 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Jamie #222.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Alexander held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jamie in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Jamie #8 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2021: Alexander moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #48 and #41; by 2021 that had become #29 and #69.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Jamie #118.

  • Scotland · Boys26 shared years, 2024–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Jamie #87 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Jamie #87.

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 Jamie

Pairs where Jamie 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

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, Jamie
FieldAlexanderJamie
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'.Originally a Lowland Scots diminutive of James; used as a feminine name too since the late 19th century.
OriginGreekScottish, diminutive of James
Pronunciation/ˌælɪɡˈzændər//ˈd͡ʒeɪ.mi/
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 #47 (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 Jamie is recorded with a Scottish, diminutive of James origin.
  • Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Jamie.
  • Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Jamie'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 Jamie 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

Jamie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #378 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys