Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1916

Alf

Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists

A diminutive of the male given names Alfred and Alfonso, from the Germanic languages.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Alf
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1916
38 babies
All-time total
1,130
#4,750 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Alf popularity over time

1,130 babies have been named Alf since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1883Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 84 8 – #460
1890s 78 8 -7% #564
1900s 83 8 +6% #596
1910s 270 27 +225% #732
1920s 231 23 -14% #1,246
1930s 157 16 -32% #1,587
1940s 88 9 -44% #1,821
1950s 65 7 -26% #2,453
1960s 42 4 -35% #2,858
1970s 32 3 -24% #3,844
1980s – – – –
1990s – – – –
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Alf

Alf 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 1880, 1,130 American babies have been named Alf. Its peak came in 1916, when 38 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 Alf stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Alf?

The median living Alf is about 72 years old; half are between 61 and 80. An estimated 200 people named Alf are alive in the United States today.

median 72 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Alf 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 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 8 #3,955
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 8 #3,082
1955 – –
1950 9 #2,583
1945 6 #2,999
1940 – –
1935 12 #2,128
1930 19 #1,693
1925 18 #1,874
1920 26 #1,457
1915 34 #1,100
1910 6 #1,424
1905 8 #920
1900 8 #971
1895 6 #979
1890 10 #630
1885 5 #941
1880 7 #747

Famous people named Alf

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Alf Ramsey Alf Ramsey English footballer (1920–1999) Contemporary
  2. 2 Alf Landon Alf Landon American politician (1887–1987) 19th century
  3. 3 Alf Prøysen Alf Prøysen Norwegian singer-songwriter and author (1914–1970) Contemporary
  4. 4 Alf Sjöberg Alf Sjöberg Swedish film director (1903–1980) Contemporary
  5. 5 Alf Poier Alf Poier Austrian musician, writer, artist and singer b. 1967 · Contemporary
  6. 6 Alf Andersen Alf Andersen Norwegian ski jumper (1906–1975) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Alf, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Alf?

The median living Alf is about 72 years old. Half of all living Alfs are between 61 and 80 years old.

How many people named Alf are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Alf are alive in the United States, based on 1,130 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Alf mean?

A diminutive of the male given names Alfred and Alfonso, from the Germanic languages.

How popular is the name Alf in 2025?

Alf 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 Alf?

1,130 babies have been named Alf in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Alf most popular?

Alf peaked in 1916, when 38 newborns received the name.

Is Alf a boy or girl name?

Alf is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Alf rising or falling?

Alf has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Alf?

Well-known people named Alf include Alf Ramsey (soccer player), Alf Landon (politician), Alf Prøysen (writer).

Names like Alf

Names that sound and feel close to Alf: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Alf with similar names → More names starting with A →