Alfie vs William
Alfie and Williamcompared 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 · Boys
In 2025, Alfie was ranked #96 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alfie was ranked #15 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alfie was ranked #16 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alfie was ranked #17 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alfie was ranked #36 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Alfie and William over time
Alfie and William appear together in 3 published lists, across 77 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alfie 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.
William 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Alfie moved into the top 50 at #36 in 2017 as William fell out of it to #54, having been #50 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Alfie moved ahead of William in England and Wales · Boys — #15 and #14 the year before became #15 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alfie and William averaged 18.4 places apart, ending at #16 and #27.
- Mirrored each other
Over 23 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Alfie rose about as far as William fell — from #277 and #27 in 2000 to #17 and #64 in 2024.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alfie held the stronger position in 11 of those years, William in 18.
Highest recorded here: Alfie #4 in 2009, William #7 in 2006.
The order changed in 2019: Alfie moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #15 and #14; by 2019 that had become #15 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alfie #16, William #27.
Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 2000–2025
Alfie held the stronger position in 9 of those years, William in 16.
Highest recorded here: Alfie #36 in 2017, William #43 in 2013.
The order changed in 2017: Alfie moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #54 and #50; by 2017 that had become #36 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alfie #36, William #73.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 2000–2024
Alfie held the stronger position in 15 of those years, William in 8.
Highest recorded here: Alfie #10 in 2016, William #27 in 2000.
The order changed in 2010: Alfie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #46 and #40; by 2010 that had become #26 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alfie #17, William #64.
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 | William |
|---|---|---|
| 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'). | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | English, diminutive of Alfred | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈælfi/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #36 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| 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 William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Alfie and William both have 2 syllables.
- Alfie's recorded meaning differs from William'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 recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
William
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys