Alton
Alton was the 1602nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 106 babies. Its best year was 1904, when it ranked 78th; the most babies were born in 1937 (836). Over the last ten years it has moved down 363 places. More babies were named Alton in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning "settlement at the river source" · Old English, English
Say it AWL-tun /ˈɔltən/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,602 boys, up 92 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 106boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1937836 babies
- Total since 1880
- 47,832babies recorded
What does the name Alton mean?
Alton is an English place-name and surname. Wiktionary derives it from Old English ǣwell, "spring, source of a river", and tūn, "farmstead, settlement", as in Alton in Hampshire, which stands at the source of the River Wey. Other English Altons may have different first elements. As a first name it was most common in the US in the early 20th century.
ǣwell (Old English, “spring, river source”)tūn (Old English, “farmstead, settlement”)
How sure is this? Probable. Several English places are called Alton, and not all share the same origin.
Related names: Allston.
See also: English names, names that mean water, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Alton', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Alton (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Alton popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 375 since 1904.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,602 | 106 |
| 2020 | #1,694 | 92 |
| 2010 | #1,376 | 122 |
| 2000 | #1,053 | 136 |
| 1990 | #704 | 210 |
| 1980 | #539 | 251 |
| 1970 | #440 | 345 |
| 1960 | #338 | 528 |
| 1950 | #259 | 635 |
| 1940 | #194 | 692 |
| 1930 | #183 | 756 |
| 1920 | #197 | 683 |
| 1910 | #211 | 122 |
| 1900 | #325 | 43 |
| 1890 | #389 | 21 |
| 1880 | #484 | 14 |
How popular is Alton, counting every spelling?
Alton is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #1,410 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,602 for Alton on its own. Together these spellings went to 118 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alton | 106 | #1,602 | 540 |
| Altan | 12 | #6,828 | 51 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Alton?
106 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Alton (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Alton 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 79 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Alton.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Alton?
About 20,800 people born in the US named Alton are alive today, with a median age of 59; half are between 37 and 72. That makes Alton a name most people associate with older generations. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
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.
Alton by state
How common Alton was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 36 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 Alton: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Alton, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Alton · Sibling names for Alton
Questions about the name Alton
What does Alton mean?
Alton means “"settlement at the river source"” (Old English, English origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Alton?
Alton was the 1602nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 106 babies. Its best year was 1904, when it ranked 78th; the most babies were born in 1937 (836). Over the last ten years it has moved down 363 places. More babies were named Alton in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Alton a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Alton in the US.
Where is Alton most popular?
In 2021–2025, Alton was most common in South Carolina (0.11 per 1,000 boys), followed by Indiana and Florida.