Alexander vs Muhammad
Alexander and Muhammadcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Muhammad #1 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #13 and Muhammad #2 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Muhammad #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Muhammad #35 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Muhammad #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Muhammad #94 among boys in Norway.
Alexander and Muhammad over time
Alexander and Muhammad appear together in 6 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Muhammad in 1.
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 5 of those lists, and Muhammad 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, Muhammad moved into the top 50 at #35 in 2025 as Alexander fell out of it to #55, having been #44 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2011, Muhammad moved ahead of Alexander in England and Wales · Boys — #21 and #31 the year before became #23 and #22.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alexander and Muhammad averaged 29.3 places apart, ending at #36 and #1.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Muhammad rose about as far as Alexander fell — from #14 and #108 in 1996 to #36 and #1 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Muhammad were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 72 years, from 1948 to 2025, ending at #81 and #94.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #12 in 2024, Muhammad #2 in 2024.
List by list
Norway · Boys72 shared years, 1948–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 68 of those years, Muhammad in 4.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, Muhammad #70 in 2023.
The order changed in 1956: Alexander moved ahead. In 1955 they stood at #351 and #329; by 1956 that had become #415 and #432.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Muhammad #94.
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1992–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Muhammad in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Muhammad #35 in 2025.
The order changed in 2025: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #44 and #45; by 2025 that had become #55 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Muhammad #35.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Muhammad in 14.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Muhammad #1 in 2023.
The order changed in 2011: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #21 and #31; by 2011 that had become #23 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Muhammad #1.
Scotland · Boys16 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Muhammad in 16.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Muhammad #2 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Muhammad #2.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2003–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Muhammad in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2018, Muhammad #154 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Muhammad #154.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys14 shared years, 2012–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Muhammad in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, Muhammad #21 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Muhammad #21.
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 | Muhammad |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | Praiseworthy, commendable. |
| Origin | Greek | Arabic |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /muˈħammad/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Alex, Xander, Sasha, Alessandro | Mohammed, Mohammad, Mehmed |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #11 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Alexander is recorded with a Greek origin, while Muhammad is recorded with a Arabic origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Muhammad.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Muhammad's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
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
Muhammad
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #319 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys