Alter
Every Alter since 1914 — 426 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alter
Alter is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,869 in 2025 with 15 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 426 American babies have been named Alter. Its peak came in 2012, when 21 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Alter stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alter 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 | — | — | 15 | #5,869 |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | 10 | #7,774 |
| 2022 | — | — | 11 | #7,292 |
| 2021 | — | — | 11 | #7,120 |
| 2020 | — | — | 7 | #9,615 |
| 2019 | — | — | 9 | #8,246 |
| 2018 | — | — | 9 | #8,188 |
| 2017 | — | — | 9 | #8,182 |
| 2016 | — | — | 5 | #12,286 |
| 2015 | — | — | 10 | #7,517 |
| 2014 | — | — | 11 | #7,076 |
| 2013 | — | — | 11 | #7,049 |
| 2012 | — | — | 21 | #4,537 |
| 2011 | — | — | 12 | #6,597 |
| 2010 | — | — | 7 | #9,732 |
| 2009 | — | — | 10 | #7,715 |
| 2008 | — | — | 14 | #6,084 |
| 2007 | — | — | 7 | #9,823 |
| 2006 | — | — | 12 | #6,474 |
| 2005 | — | — | 12 | #6,244 |
| 2004 | — | — | 13 | #5,827 |
| 2003 | — | — | 7 | #8,694 |
| 2002 | — | — | 10 | #6,549 |
| 2001 | — | — | 12 | #5,683 |
| 2000 | — | — | 10 | #6,336 |
| 1995 | — | — | 7 | #7,014 |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | 8 | #4,717 |
| 1980 | — | — | 5 | #6,285 |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | 5 | #4,016 |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | 6 | #3,826 |
| 1915 | — | — | 5 | #3,838 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Alter in 2025?
Alter ranked #5,869 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 15 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Alter?
426 babies have been named Alter in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alter most popular?
Alter peaked in 2012, when 21 newborns received the name.
Is Alter a boy or girl name?
Alter is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alter rising or falling?
Alter has been roughly stable over the past decade.