Alexander vs Patrick
Alexander and Patrickcompared 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 Patrick #125 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #22 and Patrick #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Patrick #25 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #38 and Patrick #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Alexander was ranked #32 and Patrick #93 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Patrick #120 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Patrick #327 among boys in Norway.
Alexander and Patrick over time
Alexander and Patrick appear together in 7 published lists, across 329 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Patrick 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.
Patrick reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Alexander in 1. 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 1976, Alexander moved ahead of Patrick in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #70 and #66 the year before became #67 and #72.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alexander and Patrick changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 2025, ending at #22 and #83.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 71 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alexander and Patrick averaged 27.3 places apart, ending at #22 and #83.
- Mirrored each other
Over 56 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Alexander rose about as far as Patrick fell — from #73 and #60 in 1954 to #32 and #93 in 2020.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Patrick were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 71 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #22 and #83.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #14 in 1996, Patrick #66 in 1996.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys71 shared years, 1952–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Patrick in 19.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #8 in 2014, Patrick #30 in 1994.
The order changed in 1976: Alexander moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #70 and #66; by 1976 that had become #67 and #72.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #22, Patrick #83.
Norway · Boys67 shared years, 1948–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 66 of those years, Patrick in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, Patrick #67 in 1989.
The order changed in 1952: Alexander moved ahead. In 1951 they stood at #320 and #315; by 1952 that had become #351 and #391.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Patrick #327.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Alexander held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Patrick in 62.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Patrick #2 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Patrick #25.
New Zealand · Boys56 shared years, 1954–2020
Alexander held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Patrick in 20.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #13 in 2014, Patrick #45 in 1967.
The order changed in 1982: Alexander moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #80 and #57; by 1982 that had become #57 and #60.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Alexander #32, Patrick #93.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Patrick in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Patrick #66 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Patrick #120.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Patrick in 22.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Patrick #18 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #38, Patrick #26.
Scotland · Boys16 shared years, 2024–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Patrick in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Patrick #125 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Patrick #125.
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 | Patrick |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | From Latin Patricius, meaning 'nobleman, patrician'. Adopted by Saint Patrick (originally named Sucat), a Romanized Briton who Christianized Ireland and became its patron saint. |
| Origin | Greek | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | /ˈpæt.ɹɪk/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Alex, Xander, Sasha, Alessandro | Pádraig, Pádraic |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Alexander is recorded with a Greek origin, while Patrick is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Patrick.
- Alexander's recorded meaning differs from Patrick's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Patrick
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #315 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys