Alvan
Every Alvan since 1883 — 1,101 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alvan
Alvan 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 1883, 1,101 American babies have been named Alvan. Its peak came in 1927, when 53 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 Alvan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alvan 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 | 5 | #12,287 |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | 5 | #12,575 |
| 2008 | 6 | #11,107 |
| 2007 | 11 | #7,117 |
| 2006 | 6 | #10,738 |
| 2005 | 10 | #7,123 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | 6 | #9,624 |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | 5 | #8,924 |
| 1990 | 8 | #5,845 |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 6 | #5,548 |
| 1975 | 8 | #3,957 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | 8 | #3,085 |
| 1955 | 8 | #2,971 |
| 1950 | 12 | #2,208 |
| 1945 | 13 | #1,929 |
| 1940 | 10 | #2,327 |
| 1935 | 18 | #1,656 |
| 1930 | 19 | #1,695 |
| 1925 | 32 | #1,280 |
| 1920 | 27 | #1,420 |
| 1915 | 23 | #1,412 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Alvan
- Alvan Graham Clark Astronomer · 1832–1897
- Alvan Clark Astronomer · 1804–1887
- Alvan Adams Basketball player · b. 1954
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Alvan in 2025?
Alvan 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 Alvan?
1,101 babies have been named Alvan in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alvan most popular?
Alvan peaked in 1927, when 53 newborns received the name.
Is Alvan a boy or girl name?
Alvan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alvan rising or falling?
Alvan has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Alvan?
Well-known people named Alvan include Alvan Graham Clark (astronomer), Alvan Clark (astronomer), Alvan Adams (basketball player).