Namewise

Alexander vs Troy

Alexander and Troycompared 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 Troy #727 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1993, Alexander was ranked #14 and Troy #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2009, Alexander was ranked #19 and Troy #94 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Alexander was ranked #36 and Troy #729 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2020, Alexander was ranked #48 and Troy #270 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Alexander was ranked #55 and Troy #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Alexander was ranked #81 and Troy #443 among boys in Norway.

Alexander and Troy over time

Alexander and Troy appear together in 7 published lists, across 206 years of shared records. Alexander held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Troy 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.

Troy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 1982, Alexander moved ahead of Troy in New Zealand · Boys — #81 and #69 the year before became #57 and #95.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alexander and Troy averaged 34.2 places apart, ending at #14 and #96.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alexander and Troy were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1976 to 2009, ending at #19 and #94.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alexander #14 in 1996, Troy #181 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys52 shared years, 19682025

    Alexander held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Troy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #31 in 2018, Troy #185 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #55, Troy #468.

  • New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 19762009

    Alexander held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Troy in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #19 in 1994, Troy #55 in 1993.

    The order changed in 1982: Alexander moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #81 and #69; by 1982 that had become #57 and #95.

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Alexander #19, Troy #94.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

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

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1996, Troy #181 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #36, Troy #729.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 19641993

    Alexander held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Troy in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #14 in 1992, Troy #27 in 1971.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1993: Alexander #14, Troy #96.

  • Norway · Boys28 shared years, 19972025

    Alexander held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Troy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #17 in 2006, Troy #223 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexander #81, Troy #443.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 19972020

    Alexander held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Troy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #26 in 2014, Troy #158 in 1999.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Alexander #48, Troy #270.

  • Scotland · Boys16 shared years, 20242024

    Alexander held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Troy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alexander #12 in 2024, Troy #727 in 2024.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexander #13, Troy #727.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Alexander, Troy
FieldAlexanderTroy
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/Not yet recorded
Syllables41
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)Norway · Boys #443 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Alexander has a recorded origin (Greek); Troy does not have one recorded yet.
  • Alexander has 4 syllables, compared with 1 for Troy.
  • A meaning is recorded for Alexander; Troy doesn't have one written yet.
  • 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 Troy 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

Troy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #93 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–1993

    Highest recorded position: #27 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1971 (recorded 1964–1993).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #443 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys