Alex

#2,485 for girls in 2025, 71 births · #232 for boys in 2025, 1,515 births
Given to boys 96.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1995 · 7,424 births
Debut · boys
147 births
In top 100 · boys
33 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
286,169
since 1880

Alex over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201938peak #47, 1995boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#2,48571#2321,515
2024#2,15088#2051,728
2023#1,965100#2031,814
2022#1,478148#1892,006
2021#1,612130#1921,969
2020#1,294171#1832,122
2019#1,460151#1652,401
2018#1,325171#1532,526
2017#1,251189#1512,606
2016#1,338177#1462,855
2015#1,287187#1343,113
2014#1,422160#1283,192
2013#1,509146#1103,559
2012#1,629132#983,870
2011#1,370168#954,041
2010#1,352173#934,442
2009#1,366174#835,174
2008#1,405169#845,400
2007#1,277192#726,275
2006#1,083234#676,670
2005#1,042229#716,488
2004#982242#636,812
2003#1,038220#626,794
2002#977226#636,807
2001#981219#626,613
2000#913239#626,748
1999#786279#586,828
1998#771279#556,954
1997#674322#556,855
1996#637352#536,915
1995#537441#477,424
1994#581394#507,240
1993#562425#527,639
1992#618366#547,351
1991#611369#636,673
1990#802250#596,951
1989#789241#606,543
1988#705270#586,408
1987#829210#606,042
1986#1,055143#645,111
1985#1,44586#803,909
1984#1,36886#933,026
1983#3,06527#1232,155
1982#2,18546#1431,964
1981#2,77432#1481,873
1980#2,94030#1561,681
1979#3,77720#1561,656
1978#4,24216#1641,468
1977#3,36622#1531,610
1976#3,00224#1721,359
1975#4,59313#1751,327
1974#2,92224#1711,385
1973#3,01522#1841,246
1972#3,54317#1961,182
1971#4,12314#1881,361
1970#3,87215#1911,403
1969#3,95813#2071,212
1968#3,45615#2001,163
1967#3,65613#2051,130
1966#5,8096#2181,023
1965#3,95211#2001,246
1964#3,51514#2181,240
1963#4,8968#2151,306
1962#3,59213#2171,267
1961#2,67321#2281,217
1960#2,98917#2261,230
1959#3,61912#2341,164
1958#3,23214#2451,019
1957#3,93010#253896
1956#4,8377#253809
1955#5,2086#263712
1954#4,2788#259743
1953#3,26912#260716
1952#4,4837#258700
1951#3,7149#254690
1950#3,6629#244749
1949#3,39310#242730
1948#3,35010#234764
1947#3,24011#228794
1946—#225706
1945—#217639
1944#3,6877#221620
1943#3,8017#222660
1942#4,1246#215681
1941—#210641
1940#3,8636#208620
1939#4,2505#204597
1938#4,3425#206601
1937#4,2555#211564
1936—#210564
1935#3,4317#207581
1934#2,56711#198623
1933#4,2185#197606
1932#4,4115#192683
1931#2,9729#182727
1930#2,42513#180760
1929#1,95318#180775
1928#4,1956#179799
1927#2,09518#169888
1926#3,04610#179805
1925#4,9735#165903
1924#5,0615#162978
1923#4,3766#161940
1922#3,6558#1551,003
1921#3,6668#1491,022
1920#2,89911#1421,069
1919#4,8145#1371,082
1918#3,5128#1311,207
1917#3,7137#1321,081
1916#3,2588#1281,094
1915#2,52611#1311,008
1914—#131789
1913—#130604
1912—#135482
1911—#129268
1910—#127256
1909—#123227
1908—#127199
1907—#127186
1906—#122176
1905—#133166
1904—#125169
1903—#135138
1902—#125154
1901—#120138
1900—#120192
1899—#122133
1898—#125149
1897—#128130
1896—#112165
1895—#117143
1894—#112152
1893—#120133
1892—#110163
1891—#109133
1890—#111147
1889—#114127
1888—#102167
1887—#104136
1886—#96161
1885—#92159
1884—#105148
1883—#108120
1882—#89172
1881—#109114
1880—#92147
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Alex was already there! It came in at #92, and was given to 147 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1881, when fewer than 150 boys a year got the name.

Where Alex is popular in 1938

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedNHWashington: #206 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,681 boysWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedMNIllinois: #193 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 2,113 boysILWisconsin: #196 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 2,066 boysWIMichigan: #197 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 2,215 boysMINew York: #161 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 1,634 boysNYMassachusetts: #227 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 4,794 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedIAIndiana: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedINOhio: #209 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 2,636 boysOHPennsylvania: #166 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 1,905 boysPANew Jersey: #159 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,820 boysNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #163 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 1,178 boysCAUtah: #165 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 878 boysUTColorado: #152 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 934 boysCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedNEMissouri: #364 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,559 boysMOKentucky: #262 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 2,331 boysKYWest Virginia: #284 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,739 boysWVVirginia: #253 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,118 boysVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedDEArizona: #74 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 257 boysAZNew Mexico: #84 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 315 boysNMKansas: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedKSArkansas: #213 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,516 boysARTennessee: #242 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 2,234 boysTNNorth Carolina: #205 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 1,374 boysNCSouth Carolina: #161 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,021 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #357 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 4,217 boysOKLouisiana: #147 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 764 boysLAMississippi: #148 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 858 boysMSAlabama: #130 for boys · 36 births · 1 in 764 boysALGeorgia: #203 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,557 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedHITexas: #208 for boys · 55 births · 1 in 1,076 boysTXFlorida: #292 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,764 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Arizona#74 · 1 in 257
  2. New Mexico#84 · 1 in 315
  3. Alabama#130 · 1 in 764
  4. Louisiana#147 · 1 in 764
  5. Mississippi#148 · 1 in 858

Best ever in a state: #17 in Alaska, 1924.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Arizona#74191 in 257
New Mexico#84181 in 315
Alabama#130361 in 764
Louisiana#147281 in 764
Mississippi#148251 in 858
Colorado#152101 in 934
New Jersey#159141 in 1,820
New York#161541 in 1,634
South Carolina#161191 in 1,021
California#163401 in 1,178
Utah#16561 in 878
Pennsylvania#166401 in 1,905
Illinois#193271 in 2,113
Wisconsin#196121 in 2,066
Michigan#197201 in 2,215
Georgia#203191 in 1,557
North Carolina#205261 in 1,374
Washington#20671 in 1,681
Texas#208551 in 1,076
Ohio#209201 in 2,636
Arkansas#213121 in 1,516
Massachusetts#22761 in 4,794
Tennessee#242121 in 2,234
Virginia#253111 in 2,118
Kentucky#262121 in 2,331
West Virginia#28471 in 2,739
Florida#29251 in 2,764
Oklahoma#35751 in 4,217
Missouri#36451 in 5,559
Alaska———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Indiana———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Maine———
Maryland———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Vermont———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Alex
Momentum · boys
Falling
  • 27 spots since 2024 (#205 → #232)
  • 49 spots since 2020 (#183 → #232)
  • 98 spots since 2015 (#134 → #232)
  • Biggest jump: 30 spots in 1984 (#123 → #93)
  • Biggest drop: 27 spots in 2025 (#205 → #232)
Rise & fade · boys
115 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1995 at #47 (7,424 births)
  • Births halved by 2013, 18 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 33 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 33 yrs · run 1984–2012
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 256
  • Highest: 1 in 256 boys born in 1995 were named Alex (0.39%)
  • Latest: 1 in 1,127 boys born in 2025 (0.09%)
Era · boys
The 1990s
  • 24.8% of all boys named Alex (70,830) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s1,451#89 (1882)#101
1890s1,448#109 (1891)#117
1900s1,745#120 (1900)#126
1910s7,871#127 (1910)#131
1920s9,182#142 (1920)#164
1930s6,306#180 (1930)#199
1940s6,855#208 (1940)#222
1950s8,198#234 (1959)#252
1960s12,034#200 (1965)#213
1970s13,997#153 (1977)#175
1980s38,712#58 (1988)#99
1990s70,830#47 (1995)#55
2000s63,781#62 (2003)#69
2010s32,605#93 (2010)#127
2020s11,154#183 (2020)#201

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Alex in 1938

girls
#4,342
5 births · 1 in 220,691 girls
boys
#206
601 births · 1 in 1,846 boys

Top girls' names in 1938

  1. #1Mary56,225
  2. #2Barbara39,277
  3. #3Patricia27,560
  4. #4Betty25,506
  5. #5Shirley23,766
  6. #6Carol19,421
  7. #7Nancy18,951
  8. #8Dorothy16,358
  9. #9Margaret15,330
  10. #10Joan14,303
  11. #4,342Alex5

Top boys' names in 1938

  1. #1Robert62,271
  2. #2James59,102
  3. #3John50,517
  4. #4William42,433
  5. #5Richard34,385
  6. #6Charles31,151
  7. #7Donald26,677
  8. #8David22,994
  9. #9Thomas21,381
  10. #10Ronald20,295
  11. #206Alex601
More about 1938

girls

1,103,456 girls got a published name in 1938; 1 in 220,691 of them was named Alex, which outranked 13.1% of the 4,995 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Alex
  1. #3,847Zennie6
  2. #3,847Zollie6
  3. #3,847Zoraida6
  4. #4,342Alex5
  5. #4,342Aaron5
  6. #4,342Abbey5
  7. #4,342Adean5

Tied with 653 names at #4,342; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,209Danielle#2,940 → #731
  2. ↑ 833Lorelei#1,451 → #618
  3. ↑ 623Helaine#1,493 → #870
  4. ↑ 399Janine#1,330 → #931
  5. ↑ 392Imelda#1,282 → #890
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,261Noreta#964 → #2,225
  2. ↓ 513Norita#532 → #1,045
  3. ↓ 432Noretta#856 → #1,288
  4. ↓ 366Ferne#950 → #1,316
  5. ↓ 327Verdell#904 → #1,231

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,109,147 boys got a published name in 1938; 1 in 1,846 of them was named Alex, which outranked 94.9% of the 4,035 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Alex
  1. #203Dave626
  2. #204Brian609
  3. #205Matthew608
  4. #206Alex601
  5. #207Donnie595
  6. #208Doyle585
  7. #208Leland585
Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,314Dion#2,197 → #883
  2. ↑ 448Tex#1,212 → #764
  3. ↑ 425Lonny#1,233 → #808
  4. ↑ 401Gonzalo#1,180 → #779
  5. ↑ 383Lance#722 → #339
Fallers
  1. ↓ 741Worth#1,000 → #1,741
  2. ↓ 528Estel#869 → #1,397
  3. ↓ 492Milburn#845 → #1,337
  4. ↓ 412Lonzo#835 → #1,247
  5. ↓ 405Joy#932 → #1,337

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1938 →