Namewise

Alfie vs James

Alfie and Jamescompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Alfie was ranked #17 and James #1 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Alfie was ranked #36 and James #4 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Alfie was ranked #15 and James #14 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Alfie was ranked #96 and James #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Alfie was ranked #16 and James #40 among boys in England and Wales.

Alfie and James over time

Alfie and James appear together in 3 published lists, across 77 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Alfie 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.

James reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Alfie 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, Alfie moved ahead of James in England and Wales · Boys — #14 and #12 the year before became #12 and #17.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alfie and James averaged 23.3 places apart, ending at #16 and #40.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Alfie #10 in 2016, James #1 in 2015.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Alfie held the stronger position in 13 of those years, James in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Alfie #4 in 2009, James #2 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2017: Alfie moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #14 and #12; by 2017 that had become #12 and #17.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alfie #16, James #40.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 2000–2025

    Alfie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Alfie #36 in 2017, James #1 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alfie #36, James #4.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 2000–2024

    Alfie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Alfie #10 in 2016, James #1 in 2015.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alfie #17, James #1.

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 Alfie

Pairs where Alfie shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving James

Pairs where James 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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 Alfie, James
FieldAlfieJames
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Alfred — 'elf counsel', from Old English aelf ('elf') and raed ('counsel, advice').Supplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob).
OriginEnglish, diminutive of AlfredHebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus
Pronunciation/ˈælfi//ˈdʒeɪmz/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedJim, Jamie, Iacomus
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #36 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Alfie is recorded with a English, diminutive of Alfred origin, while James is recorded with a Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus origin.
  • Alfie and James both have 2 syllables.
  • Alfie's recorded meaning differs from James's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Alfie a "medium" Data Confidence level and James a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Alfie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #119 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

James

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #344 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 recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys