Alexander vs Ricardo
Alexander and Ricardocompared 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 1998, Alexander was ranked #30 and Ricardo #526 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Ricardo #1517 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alexander was ranked #44 and Ricardo #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Alexander and Ricardo over time
Alexander and Ricardo appear together in 2 published lists, across 59 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ricardo 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Alexander and Ricardo were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 30 years, from 1956 to 1998, ending at #30 and #526.
List by list
Norway · Boys30 shared years, 1956–1998
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Ricardo in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 1987, Ricardo #349 in 1956.
The order changed in 1963: Alexander moved ahead. In 1962 they stood at #415 and #349; by 1963 that had become #355 and #446.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Alexander #30, Ricardo #526.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alexander held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Ricardo in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Ricardo #356 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Ricardo #1517.
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 | Ricardo |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˌælɪɡˈzændər/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 4 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Alex, Xander, Sasha, Alessandro | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #11 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #785 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Alexander has a recorded origin (Greek); Ricardo does not have one recorded yet.
- Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Ricardo.
- A meaning is recorded for Alexander; Ricardo doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Alexander a "high" Data Confidence level and Ricardo 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
Ricardo
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #398 among boys in Norway in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1955–1998
Highest recorded position: #349 among boys in Norway, in 1956 (recorded 1955–1998).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1517 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys