Namewise

Alexandra vs Bethany

Alexandra and Bethanycompared 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2004, Alexandra was ranked #64 and Bethany #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Alexandra was ranked #141 and Bethany #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Alexandra was ranked #176 and Bethany #384 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Alexandra was ranked #215 and Bethany #539 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Alexandra was ranked #253 and Bethany #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Alexandra and Bethany over time

Alexandra and Bethany appear together in 4 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Alexandra reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Bethany 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 2017, Alexandra moved ahead of Bethany in England and Wales · Girls — #113 and #103 the year before became #120 and #122.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alexandra and Bethany changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #253 and #253.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Alexandra and Bethany averaged 52.1 places apart, ending at #215 and #539.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alexandra and Bethany were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #141 and #544.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Alexandra #45 in 1997, Bethany #32 in 1998.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 19912025

    Alexandra held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Bethany in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alexandra #67 in 1998, Bethany #179 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alexandra #141, Bethany #544.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Alexandra held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Bethany in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Alexandra #38 in 1996, Bethany #11 in 1999.

    The order changed in 2017: Alexandra moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #113 and #103; by 2017 that had become #120 and #122.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexandra #215, Bethany #539.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 19972024

    Alexandra held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Bethany in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Alexandra #45 in 1997, Bethany #32 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alexandra #253, Bethany #253.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 19942004

    Alexandra held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Bethany in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alexandra #17 in 1994, Bethany #73 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Alexandra #64, Bethany #100.

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 Alexandra, Bethany
FieldAlexandraBethany
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables43
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #141 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #544 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alexandra has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Bethany.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Alexandra

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #400 among girls in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1969–2015

    Highest recorded position: #16 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1993 (recorded 1969–2015).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #212 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Bethany

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1991

    First recorded at #457 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in England and Wales, in 1999 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls