Namewise

Alexander vs Pål

Alexander and Pålcompared 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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Pål #385 among boys in Norway.

Alexander and Pål over time

Alexander and Pål appear together in 1 published list, across 73 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Pål in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Pål reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys73 shared years, 1948–2025

    Alexander held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Pål in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, Pål #23 in 1971.

    The order changed in 1983: Alexander moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #48 and #37; by 1983 that had become #35 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Pål #385.

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 Pål

Pairs where Pål 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 Norway lists

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

Norway 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, Pål
FieldAlexanderPål
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'.Not yet recorded
OriginGreekNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˌælɪɡˈzændər/
Syllables41
Common variants / nicknamesAlex, Xander, Sasha, AlessandroNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZNO
Most recent popularity observationUnited Kingdom #11 (2025)Norway · Boys #385 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/10040/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Alexander has a recorded origin (Greek); Pål does not have one recorded yet.
  • Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 1 for Pål.
  • A meaning is recorded for Alexander; Pål doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in NO.
  • The available evidence gives Alexander a "high" Data Confidence level and Pål 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 #40 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Pål

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #99 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in Norway, in 1971 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #385 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys