Alfie vs Joshua
Alfie and Joshuacompared 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, Alfie was ranked #15 and Joshua #60 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Alfie was ranked #16 and Joshua #53 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alfie was ranked #17 and Joshua #63 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alfie was ranked #36 and Joshua #81 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Alfie was ranked #81 and Joshua #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Alfie and Joshua over time
Alfie and Joshua appear together in 3 published lists, across 78 years of shared records. Alfie held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Joshua in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Joshua 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 2009, Alfie moved ahead of Joshua in England and Wales · Boys — #6 and #5 the year before became #4 and #5.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alfie and Joshua averaged 24.0 places apart, ending at #16 and #53.
- Mirrored each other
Over 25 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Alfie rose about as far as Joshua fell — from #390 and #34 in 2000 to #36 and #81 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Alfie and Joshua were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #16 and #53.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Alfie held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Joshua in 13.
Highest recorded here: Alfie #4 in 2009, Joshua #2 in 2002.
The order changed in 2009: Alfie moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #6 and #5; by 2009 that had become #4 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alfie #16, Joshua #53.
Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 2000–2025
Alfie held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Joshua in 16.
Highest recorded here: Alfie #36 in 2017, Joshua #17 in 2003.
The order changed in 2017: Alfie moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #54 and #44; by 2017 that had become #36 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alfie #36, Joshua #81.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 2000–2024
Alfie held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Joshua in 11.
Highest recorded here: Alfie #10 in 2016, Joshua #6 in 2003.
The order changed in 2013: Alfie moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #19 and #13; by 2013 that had become #14 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alfie #17, Joshua #63.
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 | Alfie | Joshua |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Alfred — 'elf counsel', from Old English aelf ('elf') and raed ('counsel, advice'). | From Hebrew Yehoshua, combining 'yeho' (referring to God) with 'yasha' ('to save') — 'Yahweh is salvation'. Joshua succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelites in the Old Testament. |
| Origin | English, diminutive of Alfred | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈælfi/ | /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #16 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #53 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alfie is recorded with a English, diminutive of Alfred origin, while Joshua is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Alfie and Joshua both have 2 syllables.
- Alfie's recorded meaning differs from Joshua's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Alfie
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #16 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Joshua
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #77 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1971–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1993 (recorded 1971–2024).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #53 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys