Alger
A male given name from the Germanic languages, variant of Elgar.
Every Alger since 1886 — 832 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alger
Alger is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1886, 832 American babies have been named Alger. Its peak came in 1919, when 30 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Alger stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alger year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | 5 | #12,623 |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | 6 | #3,671 |
| 1955 | 16 | #1,979 |
| 1950 | 9 | #2,584 |
| 1945 | 14 | #1,853 |
| 1940 | 8 | #2,671 |
| 1935 | 19 | #1,585 |
| 1930 | 16 | #1,890 |
| 1925 | 19 | #1,808 |
| 1920 | 18 | #1,887 |
| 1915 | 16 | #1,784 |
| 1910 | 6 | #1,426 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Alger
- Alger Hiss Politician · 1904–1996
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alger mean?
A male given name from the Germanic languages, variant of Elgar.
How popular is the name Alger in 2025?
Alger did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Alger?
832 babies have been named Alger in the United States since 1886, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alger most popular?
Alger peaked in 1919, when 30 newborns received the name.
Is Alger a boy or girl name?
Alger is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alger rising or falling?
Alger has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Alger?
Well-known people named Alger include Alger Hiss (politician).