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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201959peak #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 1959

  • 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: #194 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 1,430 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: #219 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 1,907 boysILWisconsin: #354 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 7,924 boysWIMichigan: #223 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 2,193 boysMINew York: #156 for boys · 156 births · 1 in 1,160 boysNYMassachusetts: #187 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 2,821 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedRIOregon: #245 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,143 boysORNevada: 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: #239 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 2,491 boysINOhio: #253 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 2,906 boysOHPennsylvania: #221 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 2,435 boysPANew Jersey: #176 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 1,614 boysNJConnecticut: #284 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 4,439 boysCTCalifornia: #161 for boys · 199 births · 1 in 903 boysCAUtah: #292 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,374 boysUTColorado: #271 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,368 boysCONebraska: #270 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 3,232 boysNEMissouri: #302 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 3,518 boysMOKentucky: #331 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 4,523 boysKYWest Virginia: #228 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 2,007 boysWVVirginia: #292 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 2,880 boysVAMaryland: #228 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 2,190 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Alex, so not publishedDEArizona: #152 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 673 boysAZNew Mexico: #109 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 476 boysNMKansas: #351 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 4,758 boysKSArkansas: #276 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,176 boysARTennessee: #278 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 2,657 boysTNNorth Carolina: #371 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 4,387 boysNCSouth Carolina: #261 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,042 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #284 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,972 boysDCOklahoma: #299 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,999 boysOKLouisiana: #216 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 1,254 boysLAMississippi: #242 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 1,731 boysMSAlabama: #281 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 2,404 boysALGeorgia: #258 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 1,999 boysGAHawaii: #208 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,021 boysHITexas: #170 for boys · 140 births · 1 in 880 boysTXFlorida: #219 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 1,534 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. New Mexico#109 · 1 in 476
  2. Arizona#152 · 1 in 673
  3. New York#156 · 1 in 1,160
  4. California#161 · 1 in 903
  5. Texas#170 · 1 in 880

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
New Mexico#109281 in 476
Arizona#152241 in 673
New York#1561561 in 1,160
California#1611991 in 903
Texas#1701401 in 880
New Jersey#176381 in 1,614
Massachusetts#187201 in 2,821
Washington#194221 in 1,430
Hawaii#20871 in 1,021
Louisiana#216341 in 1,254
Florida#219351 in 1,534
Illinois#219611 in 1,907
Pennsylvania#221501 in 2,435
Michigan#223441 in 2,193
Maryland#228151 in 2,190
West Virginia#228101 in 2,007
Indiana#239221 in 2,491
Mississippi#242161 in 1,731
Oregon#24581 in 2,143
Ohio#253391 in 2,906
Georgia#258241 in 1,999
South Carolina#261141 in 2,042
Nebraska#27051 in 3,232
Colorado#27191 in 2,368
Arkansas#27691 in 2,176
Tennessee#278151 in 2,657
Alabama#281161 in 2,404
Connecticut#28461 in 4,439
District of Columbia#28451 in 2,972
Utah#29251 in 2,374
Virginia#292151 in 2,880
Oklahoma#29981 in 2,999
Missouri#302141 in 3,518
Kentucky#33181 in 4,523
Kansas#35151 in 4,758
Wisconsin#35461 in 7,924
North Carolina#371121 in 4,387
Alaska———
Delaware———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Maine———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
North Dakota———
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 1959

girls
#3,619
12 births · 1 in 168,622 girls
boys
#234
1,164 births · 1 in 1,834 boys

Top girls' names in 1959

  1. #1Mary54,502
  2. #2Susan41,617
  3. #3Linda40,410
  4. #4Karen36,784
  5. #5Donna36,468
  6. #6Patricia35,223
  7. #7Debra31,388
  8. #8Cynthia30,186
  9. #9Deborah29,546
  10. #10Lisa25,699
  11. #3,619Alex12

Top boys' names in 1959

  1. #1Michael85,294
  2. #2David83,977
  3. #3James78,648
  4. #4John76,446
  5. #5Robert74,542
  6. #6Mark56,945
  7. #7William51,386
  8. #8Richard47,202
  9. #9Thomas40,296
  10. #10Steven33,597
  11. #234Alex1,164
More about 1959

girls

2,023,462 girls got a published name in 1959; 1 in 168,622 of them was named Alex, which outranked 49.8% of the 7,202 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Alex
  1. #3,436Wendelin13
  2. #3,436Willow13
  3. #3,436Zenda13
  4. #3,619Alex12
  5. #3,619Albertine12
  6. #3,619Aleen12
  7. #3,619Altha12
  8. #3,827Adaline11
  9. #3,827Alfrieda11
  10. #3,827Amada11

Tied with 207 names at #3,619; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1958
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,090Alesia#1,985 → #895
  2. ↑ 948Tori#1,791 → #843
  3. ↑ 440Taryn#1,211 → #771
  4. ↑ 437Venus#1,007 → #570
  5. ↑ 393Vilma#1,364 → #971
Fallers
  1. ↓ 283Dani#961 → #1,244
  2. ↓ 257Nicki#973 → #1,230
  3. ↓ 235Lanita#973 → #1,208
  4. ↓ 219Concetta#973 → #1,192
  5. ↓ 197Gisele#766 → #963

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

boys

2,134,518 boys got a published name in 1959; 1 in 1,834 of them was named Alex, which outranked 94.9% of the 4,572 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 29.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Alex
  1. #231Derrick1,179
  2. #232Johnnie1,177
  3. #233Alexander1,166
  4. #234Alex1,164
  5. #235Nathaniel1,159
  6. #235Roland1,159
  7. #237Kyle1,146
Biggest movers since 1958
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,208Efrem#3,033 → #825
  2. ↑ 901Darin#1,677 → #776
  3. ↑ 871Yancy#1,557 → #686
  4. ↑ 708Raynard#1,677 → #969
  5. ↑ 644Darrin#1,396 → #752
Fallers
  1. ↓ 307Jace#761 → #1,068
  2. ↓ 241Otha#915 → #1,156
  3. ↓ 234Cheryl#994 → #1,228
  4. ↓ 230Dann#969 → #1,199
  5. ↓ 227Carnell#777 → #1,004

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

See the top 100 for 1959 →