Alfred
From Middle English Alfred, from Old English Ælfrǣd, from ælf (“elf”) + rǣd (“counsel”).
Every Alfred since 1880 — 245,153 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alfred
Alfred is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #840 in 2025 with 293 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 245,153 American babies have been named Alfred. Its peak came in 1928, when 6,291 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Alfred stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alfred year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 293 | #840 |
| 2024 | — | — | 296 | #837 |
| 2023 | — | — | 245 | #928 |
| 2022 | — | — | 291 | #837 |
| 2021 | — | — | 255 | #901 |
| 2020 | — | — | 250 | #899 |
| 2019 | — | — | 286 | #802 |
| 2018 | — | — | 254 | #862 |
| 2017 | — | — | 252 | #864 |
| 2016 | — | — | 266 | #845 |
| 2015 | — | — | 232 | #922 |
| 2014 | — | — | 288 | #795 |
| 2013 | — | — | 208 | #962 |
| 2012 | — | — | 212 | #949 |
| 2011 | — | — | 219 | #919 |
| 2010 | — | — | 225 | #905 |
| 2009 | — | — | 263 | #828 |
| 2008 | — | — | 278 | #787 |
| 2007 | — | — | 301 | #743 |
| 2006 | — | — | 282 | #749 |
| 2005 | — | — | 280 | #725 |
| 2004 | — | — | 267 | #717 |
| 2003 | — | — | 274 | #696 |
| 2002 | — | — | 284 | #657 |
| 2001 | — | — | 345 | #583 |
| 2000 | — | — | 350 | #576 |
| 1995 | — | — | 449 | #482 |
| 1990 | — | — | 642 | #364 |
| 1985 | — | — | 675 | #303 |
| 1980 | 8 | #7,432 | 864 | #255 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,100 | 949 | #219 |
| 1970 | 12 | #4,495 | 1,418 | #190 |
| 1965 | 9 | #4,500 | 1,656 | #171 |
| 1960 | 18 | #2,905 | 2,406 | #147 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,219 | 2,980 | #119 |
| 1950 | 13 | #2,913 | 3,235 | #96 |
| 1945 | 9 | #3,135 | 2,894 | #88 |
| 1940 | 14 | #2,205 | 3,062 | #69 |
| 1935 | 14 | #2,207 | 3,128 | #63 |
| 1930 | 37 | #1,232 | 4,558 | #46 |
| 1925 | 30 | #1,505 | 4,796 | #43 |
| 1920 | 25 | #1,667 | 5,006 | #42 |
| 1915 | 15 | #2,052 | 4,231 | #42 |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,410 | 922 | #38 |
| 1905 | — | — | 591 | #43 |
| 1900 | — | — | 640 | #42 |
| 1895 | — | — | 551 | #38 |
| 1890 | — | — | 549 | #35 |
| 1885 | — | — | 446 | #39 |
| 1880 | — | — | 469 | #35 |
Famous people named Alfred
- Alfred Nobel Chemist · 1833–1896
- Alfred Hitchcock Film director · 1899–1980
- Alfred the Great Politician · 849–899
- Alfred Adler Psychologist · 1870–1937
- Alfred Dreyfus Military personnel · 1859–1935
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alfred mean?
From Middle English Alfred, from Old English Ælfrǣd, from ælf (“elf”) + rǣd (“counsel”).
How popular is the name Alfred in 2025?
Alfred ranked #840 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 293 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Alfred?
245,153 babies have been named Alfred in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alfred most popular?
Alfred peaked in 1928, when 6,291 newborns received the name.
Is Alfred a boy or girl name?
Alfred is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alfred rising or falling?
Alfred is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Alfred?
Well-known people named Alfred include Alfred Nobel (chemist), Alfred Hitchcock (film director), Alfred the Great (politician).