Alfred
Alfred was the 840th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 293 babies. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked 32nd; the most babies were born in 1928 (6,252). Over the last ten years it has moved up 82 places. More babies were named Alfred in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning elf counsel · Old English
Say it AL-fred /ˈælfɹəd/
- Rank in 2025
- #840 boys, up 59 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 293boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19286,252 babies
- Total since 1880
- 245,153babies recorded
What does the name Alfred mean?
Alfred is from Old English Ælfrǣd, made of ælf 'elf, supernatural being' and rǣd 'counsel, advice', as Wiktionary notes. It was the name of Alfred the Great, the 9th-century king of Wessex who resisted the Viking invasions. Wiktionary adds that the Old English name was pronounced with a v sound, preserved in the Middle English form Alured. The name was revived in the 18th and 19th centuries.
ælf (Old English, “elf”)rǣd (Old English, “counsel, advice”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Alfredo, Alfie, Fred, Avery.
See also: English names, names that mean wisdom.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Alfred', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Alfred', DMNES (Durham University)
Nicknames for Alfred
The usual nicknames for Alfred are Alfie, Fred, Al and Freddie. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Alfred in the last five years, 33 were named Fred, against 57 twenty years earlier. Alfie is also gaining on the full name.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfie | Traditional | #2,056 | 320 |
| Fred · also for Frederick, Wilfred | Traditional | #1,936 | 458 |
| Al · also for Alistair, Alexander, Alan | Traditional | #6,822 | 59 |
| Freddie · also for Frederick, Fred, Winifred | Traditional | #1,510 | 414 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Alfreds go by each one.
Alfred popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 1,292 since 1898.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #840 | 293 |
| 2020 | #899 | 250 |
| 2010 | #905 | 225 |
| 2000 | #576 | 350 |
| 1990 | #364 | 642 |
| 1980 | #255 | 864 |
| 1970 | #190 | 1,418 |
| 1960 | #147 | 2,406 |
| 1950 | #96 | 3,235 |
| 1940 | #69 | 3,062 |
| 1930 | #46 | 4,558 |
| 1920 | #42 | 5,006 |
| 1910 | #38 | 922 |
| 1900 | #42 | 640 |
| 1890 | #35 | 549 |
| 1880 | #35 | 469 |
How popular is Alfred, counting every spelling?
Alfred has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #817 for boys in 2025, against #840 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Alfred?
293 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Alfred (0.08 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Alfred born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 29 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Alfred.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Alfred?
About 80,300 people born in the US named Alfred are alive today, with a median age of 65; half are between 49 and 75. That makes Alfred a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Alfred by state
How common Alfred was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Massachusetts (2.2×), Utah (2.1×), Minnesota (2.0×), Virginia (1.6×), New York (1.5×). In 23 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Alfred: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Alfred, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Alfred · Sibling names for Alfred
Questions about the name Alfred
What does Alfred mean?
Alfred means “elf counsel” (Old English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Alfred?
Alfred was the 840th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 293 babies. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked 32nd; the most babies were born in 1928 (6,252). Over the last ten years it has moved up 82 places. More babies were named Alfred in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Alfred a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Alfred in the US.
Where is Alfred most popular?
In 2021–2025, Alfred was most common in Massachusetts (0.36 per 1,000 boys), followed by Utah and Minnesota.