Compared with different types of renewable energies, wind energy has the fastest annual growing rate over the last decade. Hence, employing a framework based on numerical algorithms for optimal design of electrical generator, especially adopted for wind power systems, is a great challenge in electrical systems. Recently, for their rigid structure, high torque density and lower mass of the flux-switching permanent magnet (FSPM) generators have attracted much interest because they are capable of supplementing conventional permanent magnet synchronous generators. In this paper, a new analytical hierarchy process (AHP) approach is proposed for a multi-objective optimization of the design of the FSPM generator. To carry out the optimization, trade-offs are considered among more conflicting targets (cost, mass, and some electromagnetic performance). Finite element method numerical results, experimentally validated by means of a prototype, have been used to assess the required data for the optimization. Then the optimal solutions given by the AHP method have been compared with the solutions obtained using different classical optimization methods. The results showed that the AHP approach gives the best solution with respect to the earlier designs and also with respect to other conventional optimization methods, confirming its effectiveness to be used in the optimal design of electrical machines. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.