Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2012

Alter

Meaning Alter is both a surname and a given name Gender Boy · 4% girls Rank 2025 #5,869

Alter is both a surname and a given name.

Rank 2025
#5,869
among boys
Babies in 2025
15
named Alter
How common
1 in 113,872
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2012
21 babies
All-time total
426
#8,905 all-time among boys
First recorded
1914
in Social Security records

Alter popularity over time

426 babies have been named Alter since 1914, 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
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

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 Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s 7 12 19 2 – #3,403
1920s 11 13 24 2 +26% #3,538
1930s – 11 11 1 -54% #3,282
1940s – 5 5 1 -55% #3,689
1950s – 12 12 1 +140% #3,283
1960s – 5 5 1 -58% #4,154
1970s – 11 11 1 +120% #4,952
1980s – 32 32 3 +191% #4,226
1990s – 42 42 4 +31% #5,547
2000s – 107 107 11 +155% #5,683
2010s – 104 104 10 -3% #4,537
2020s (to 2025) – 54 54 9 -13% #5,869

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.

How old are people named Alter?

The median living Alter is about 18 years old; half are between 10 and 27. An estimated 400 people named Alter are alive in the United States today.

median 18 020406080100

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

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

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

How old is the average Alter?

The median living Alter is about 18 years old. Half of all living Alters are between 10 and 27 years old.

How many people named Alter are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Alter are alive in the United States, based on 426 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Alter mean?

Alter is both a surname and a given name.

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.

Names like Alter

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

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