Alexander

maleGreek

Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'.

Origin: Greek — From 'Alexandros'.

Official popularity data is available for 7 regions, from 1948 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #8 in New South Wales, Australia in 2014. See regions.

Alexander: Recorded since 1948, it reached #8 in 2014, and it was still inside the top 100 in 2025.

7registrars recorded it
327times a registrar ranked it
78years from first to last
#8highest recorded position
44groupings it qualifies for
63names it appears alongside

What stands out in Alexander's record

Held a top-100 place for 56 years running. Names by top-100 run
England and Wales registered 4,840 births with the name in 1996, its largest count from any one registrar. Names by yearly birth count
Held at least one birth in every 2,000 for 37 years. Names by sustained share
Moved 270 places between two consecutive years — its largest recorded change. Names by largest single-year move

al-ig-ZAN-der/ˌælɪɡˈzændər/

Compare Alexander Run Name Checker on Alexander

Data Confidence

Evidence: HighCompleteness: CompleteEditorial review: 2026-06-15

Confidence in the evidencebehind this name's data — never a rating of the name itself, and never affected by how well it matches your preferences. How this is assessed

Because: backed by officially or academically authoritative sources, recently verified, most expected sections are populated, popularity data covers multiple regions.

Source authority

Averaged from the real per-claim source-authority assessments already computed for this name's meaning/origin/pronunciation/popularity evidence.

Independent corroboration

Averaged from the real per-claim supporting-source counts already computed for this name's evidence.

See full evidence assessment (8 dimensions, 1 not yet tracked)

Source agreement

No recorded source disagreement for this name's meanings or origins.

Recency

Calculated from how long ago this record was last verified (2026-06-15), against a 270-day staleness threshold.

Geographic relevance

Calculated from the number of geographies with official popularity data (7) — broader official coverage means the evidence base is relevant to more of where the name is actually used.

Completeness

Calculated from how many of the expected data sections (variants, similar names, popularity, notable usage, IPA pronunciation) are actually populated for this name.

Direct observation vs. inference

Averaged from the real per-claim direct-observation-vs-inference ratios already computed for this name's evidence.

Identity & variant resolution quality

Cross-source identity and variant resolution requires HEKNO Knowledge, which isn't connected yet.

Name Characteristics

How these are calculated

Descriptive attributes of the name itself — not a confidence measurement, and not an overall quality score. Namewise doesn't approve or disapprove of names.

Pronunciation clarity

Editorial judgement of how consistently this name is pronounced correctly on first read, mapped from an easy/moderate/variable rating to a number. Describes the name — not a measure of evidence confidence.

Spelling simplicity

Calculated directly from the name's spelling: shorter names with fewer irregular letter clusters score higher. A disclosed formula, not an editorial opinion — and not a confidence measurement.

Recorded regional spread

Derived from how many geographies' official statistics record this name. It measures where the name is registered, not how well-known it feels to people living there.

International spread

Derived from the same official statistical coverage, scaled to reflect how widely the name crosses national datasets. Not a measure of how easily it is understood in another language.

Trend stability

Derived from the name's traditional/modern classification and its current popularity trend direction.

Overview

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'.
Pronunciation: al-ig-ZAN-der
Syllables: 4
Common nicknames: Alex, Xander, Sasha
Classification: traditional
Gender usage: male
Language family: Greek

Popularity

Region

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2025

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#14
1997	#16
1998	#19
1999	#20
2000	#21
2001	#20
2002	#19
2003	#20
2004	#20
2005	#22
2006	#24
2007	#22
2008	#19
2009	#22
2010	#21
2011	#23
2012	#27
2013	#24
2014	#22
2015	#22
2016	#21
2017	#22
2018	#22
2019	#21
2020	#26
2021	#27
2022	#28
2023	#34
2024	#36
2025	#40

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Norway in 73 of the 78 years from 1948 to 2025.

In 2025: #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, #40 among boys in England and Wales, #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #81 among boys in Norway.

Official data from 7 national registrars across 7 regions, 1948–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

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
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #40 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys

Alexander appears in 6 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Norway · Boys, which has ranked it in 73 years beginning in 1948, and has registered 12,762 births with the name.

Alexander across 6 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Alexander's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Norway · Boys	#320 (1948)	#12 (1987)	#81 (2025)	73 of 78	12,762 (1948–2025)	443 (1990)
New South Wales, Australia · Boys	#80 (1952)	#8 (2014)	#22 (2025)	71 of 74	20,780 (1952–2025)	673 (1992)
New Zealand · Boys	#73 (1954)	#13 (2014)	#33 (2023)	62 of 70	8,460 (1954–2023)	248 (1992)
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#116 (1964)	#31 (2018)	#55 (2025)	62 of 62	5,357 (1964–2025)	211 (2014)
England and Wales · Boys	#14 (1996)	#14 (1996)	#40 (2025)	30 of 30	86,796 (1996–2025)	4,840 (1996)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#60 (1997)	#26 (2014)	#38 (2024)	28 of 28	1,729 (1997–2024)	92 (2014)

Where the highest position is not the biggest year

Inside a single year a registrar's ranking is its birth counts put in order, so the top of a list is always the name given to the most babies that year. Across years the two separate, because the number of births and the number of names sharing them both change.

In New South Wales, Australia · Boys the name reached its highest position, #8, in 2014, when 456 births were registered with it. More were registered in 1992 — 673 — in a year it ranked #14.
In New Zealand · Boys the name reached its highest position, #13, in 2014, when 190 births were registered with it. More were registered in 1992 — 248 — in a year it ranked #20.

Alexander by decade in Norway · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Alexander in Norway · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1940s	6	1 of 10	6
1950s	43	6 of 10	7
1960s	189	10 of 10	19
1970s	935	10 of 10	94
1980s	2,841	10 of 10	284
1990sbusiest	3,162	10 of 10	316
2000s	2,880	10 of 10	288
2010s	2,125	10 of 10	213
2020s	581	6 of 10	97

Across Norway · Boys, the 1990s were its busiest decade, averaging 316 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1984 and 1985, when recorded births rose by 136, from 214 to 350.

See the names Norwayhas recorded the most births with →

Alexander appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

What the record shows

Recorded by 7 registrars between 1948 and 2025, ranked in 77 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #8, first reached in 2014.

It held a top-100 place in 72 years, 56 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 4,840 births, registered in England and Wales in 1996.

1 registrar ranked it inside their own top 10.

Its record falls into 2 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 1 year.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1952, and 76 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Alexander was ranked #8 in New South Wales, Australia · Boys in 2014. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Alex · #8, 66y
Alexa · #130, 30y
Alexandr · #720, 13y
Alexandra · #16, 64y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 7 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Anthony · #8, 77y
Evelyn · #8, 81y
Kevin · #8, 74y
Wendy · #8, 74y

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1940 and 1949.

Annie · #8, 81y
Anthony · #8, 77y
Elsie · #8, 47y
Espen · #8, 81y

Comparisons involving Alexander

Existing comparison pages where Alexander and another name were ranked in the same published list, in the same years, on the same scale. Each has its own evidence; none of them says the names are alike.

Longest shared records

Names ranked alongside Alexander in the same published list across at least 25 years.

Alexander vs Garry
In 1964 they stood at #116 and #114 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2009 they were #50 and #701.
Alexander · Garry · 45 shared years, 1964–2009 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2009 Republic of Ireland ranking
Alexander vs Roger
In 1964 they stood at #116 and #113 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2021 they were #43 and #631.
Alexander · Roger · 41 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking
Alexander vs Tommy
Over 72 shared years in Norway · Boys, Alexander rose about as far as Tommy fell — from #320 and #268 in 1948 to #70 and #503 in 2024.
Alexander · Tommy · 72 shared years, 1948–2024 · Mirrored each other
See the 2024 Norway ranking

Closest long-running positions

Names that stayed close to Alexander within one registrar's list over many years. A gap measured inside that list, never across registrars.

Alexander vs Mohammed
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Alexander and Mohammed averaged 6.9 places apart, ending at #40 and #20.
Alexander · Mohammed · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Closest over the longest run
See the 2025 England and Wales ranking
Ethan vs Alexander
Across 34 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Ethan and Alexander averaged 8.9 places apart, ending at #24 and #33.
Ethan · Alexander · 34 shared years, 1990–2023 · Closest over the longest run
See the 2023 New Zealand ranking
Adam vs Alexander
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Adam and Alexander averaged 9.2 places apart, ending at #26 and #40.
Adam · Alexander · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Closest over the longest run
See the 2025 England and Wales ranking

Order changes

Pairs where Alexander and another name exchanged position in a published list, taken as the final meaningful change.

Henry vs Alexander
In 2017, Henry moved ahead of Alexander in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #18 and #9 the year before became #6 and #10.
Henry · Alexander · 31 shared years, 1993–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2017 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Charlie vs Alexander
In 2015, Charlie moved ahead of Alexander in New Zealand · Boys — #15 and #13 the year before became #8 and #18.
Charlie · Alexander · 21 shared years, 2003–2023 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2015 New Zealand ranking
Liam vs Alexander
In 2018, Liam moved ahead of Alexander in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #11 and #10 the year before became #8 and #10.
Liam · Alexander · 43 shared years, 1983–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 2018 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs involving Alexander measured in New South Wales, Australia's own published lists — the registrar that recorded Alexander at its highest position.

Alexander vs Edward
Over 67 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alexander rose about as far as Edward fell — from #80 and #48 in 1952 to #22 and #75 in 2025.
Alexander · Edward · 67 shared years, 1952–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Andrew vs Alexander
Over 60 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alexander rose about as far as Andrew fell — from #51 and #80 in 1952 to #89 and #9 in 2016.
Andrew · Alexander · 60 shared years, 1952–2016 · Mirrored each other
See the 2016 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Oliver vs Alexander
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Oliver #1 in 2014, Alexander #8 in 2014.
Oliver · Alexander · 37 shared years, 1989–2025 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2014 New South Wales, Australia ranking

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Alexander and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,577 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Alexander without appearing here.

Alexander moved ahead of

James Compare
In 1963 they stood at #355 and #348 in Norway · Boys; by 1964 that had become #221 and #285.
George Compare
In 1989 they stood at #116 and #105 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 1990 that had become #105 and #157.
Martin
In 1983 they stood at #80 and #75 in New Zealand · Boys; by 1984 that had become #45 and #95.
Callum Compare
In 2016 they stood at #44 and #36 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2017 that had become #30 and #75.

Moved ahead of Alexander

Birk
In 2021 they stood at #61 and #70 in Norway · Boys; by 2022 that had become #82 and #36.
Fionn Compare
In 2022 they stood at #47 and #51 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2023 that had become #70 and #34.
Rian Compare
In 2022 they stood at #47 and #57 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2023 that had become #70 and #37.
Tommy Compare
In 2019 they stood at #30 and #33 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2020 that had become #48 and #16.

Moved the opposite way to Alexander

Anders
Between 1948 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Alexander went from #320 to #81 while Anders went from #62 to #293.
Arild
Between 1948 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Alexander went from #320 to #81 while Arild went from #24 to #489.
Arne
Between 1948 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Alexander went from #320 to #81 while Arne went from #6 to #222.
Bjørn
Between 1948 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Alexander went from #320 to #81 while Bjørn went from #3 to #56.

Moved the same way as Alexander

Aksel
Between 1948 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Alexander went from #320 to #81 and Aksel from #184 to #25.
Alfred
Between 1948 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Alexander went from #320 to #81 and Alfred from #152 to #26.
Emil
Between 1948 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Alexander went from #320 to #81 and Emil from #208 to #2.
Even
Between 1948 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Alexander went from #320 to #81 and Even from #146 to #42.

Meaning & Origin

Commonly interpreted as 'defender of men' or 'protector of the people'.

VerifiedSource: Namewise editorial team, Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Greek

From 'Alexandros'.

VerifiedSource: Namewise editorial team, Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.

Other names with a researched meaning and origin →

Where Alexander is officially recorded

7 official registrars have recorded Alexander, between 1948 and 2025, in 77 of those 78 years. Each registrar publishes for its own population on its own methodology, so the positions below are each one country's own ranking and are not comparable with one another.

Registrar	Recorded	Years	Its own highest position
Norway	1948–2025	73	#12 in 1987
New South Wales, Australia	1952–2025	71	#8 in 2014
New Zealand	1954–2023	62	#13 in 2014
Republic of Ireland	1964–2025	62	#31 in 2018
England and Wales	1996–2025	30	#14 in 1996
Northern Ireland	1997–2024	28	#26 in 2014
Scotland	2024	1	#12 in 2024

Its high point came 37 years earlier in Norway (1987) than in Scotland (2024).

Variants

Alex · nickname
Xander · nickname
Sasha · nickname
Alessandro · regional

Similar Names

See full comparison →

Oliver11% similar

Both are long-running classic choices with strong literary and historical associations.

Alexander vs Oliver

Magnus4% similar

Both carry strong historical/regal associations and a 'strength' meaning theme.

Alexander vs Magnus

Similarity is a demonstration score — see methodology.

Spelling

Spelling simplicity

Calculated directly from the name's spelling — see Name Characteristics above.

No commonly used alternate spellings recorded.

Pronunciation

al-ig-ZAN-der/ˌælɪɡˈzændər/

Syllables: 4
Ease: moderate

Demonstration dataSource: Namewise editorial team.Confidence: low.

Where Alexander Is Recorded

National statistical agencies have recorded Alexander in these places. This shows where the name is used — not where it comes from, and not that it carries particular cultural significance there.

New South Wales, AustraliaEngland and WalesNorthern IrelandScotlandRepublic of IrelandNorwayNew Zealand

Notable Usage

No safely-sourced notable usage recorded for this name yet.

Sibling & Surname Compatibility

Preview with a surname

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Alexander

Alexander at a glance

What stands out in Alexander's record

Overview

Popularity

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Alexander across 6 official records

Where the highest position is not the biggest year

Alexander by decade in Norway · Boys

Alexander appears in

What the record shows

Names published alongside Alexander

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Comparisons involving Alexander

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Alexander and the names beside it

Alexander moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Alexander

Moved the opposite way to Alexander

Moved the same way as Alexander

Meaning & Origin

Where Alexander is officially recorded

Variants

Similar Names

Spelling

Pronunciation

Where Alexander Is Recorded

Notable Usage

Sibling & Surname Compatibility

Alexander at a glance

What stands out in Alexander's record

Alexander across 6 official records

Where the highest position is not the biggest year

Alexander by decade in Norway · Boys

Alexander appears in

What the record shows

Names published alongside Alexander

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Comparisons involving Alexander

Longest shared records

Closest long-running positions

Order changes

Compared inside New South Wales, Australia lists

Alexander and the names beside it

Alexander moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Alexander

Moved the opposite way to Alexander

Moved the same way as Alexander