Alton
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Alton since 1880 — 47,832 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alton
Alton is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,602 in 2025 with 106 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 47,832 American babies have been named Alton. Its peak came in 1937, when 836 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
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 Alton stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alton 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 | — | — | 106 | #1,602 |
| 2024 | — | — | 110 | #1,574 |
| 2023 | — | — | 101 | #1,681 |
| 2022 | — | — | 86 | #1,853 |
| 2021 | — | — | 137 | #1,349 |
| 2020 | — | — | 92 | #1,694 |
| 2019 | — | — | 134 | #1,340 |
| 2018 | — | — | 132 | #1,352 |
| 2017 | — | — | 133 | #1,341 |
| 2016 | — | — | 148 | #1,248 |
| 2015 | — | — | 147 | #1,239 |
| 2014 | — | — | 162 | #1,163 |
| 2013 | — | — | 152 | #1,180 |
| 2012 | — | — | 166 | #1,111 |
| 2011 | — | — | 131 | #1,305 |
| 2010 | — | — | 122 | #1,376 |
| 2009 | — | — | 150 | #1,203 |
| 2008 | — | — | 162 | #1,129 |
| 2007 | — | — | 165 | #1,102 |
| 2006 | — | — | 148 | #1,144 |
| 2005 | — | — | 135 | #1,183 |
| 2004 | — | — | 147 | #1,080 |
| 2003 | — | — | 156 | #1,012 |
| 2002 | — | — | 156 | #998 |
| 2001 | — | — | 111 | #1,208 |
| 2000 | — | — | 136 | #1,053 |
| 1995 | — | — | 152 | #887 |
| 1990 | — | — | 210 | #704 |
| 1985 | — | — | 207 | #607 |
| 1980 | — | — | 251 | #539 |
| 1975 | — | — | 241 | #515 |
| 1970 | — | — | 345 | #440 |
| 1965 | — | — | 402 | #389 |
| 1960 | 9 | #4,441 | 528 | #338 |
| 1955 | — | — | 613 | #288 |
| 1950 | — | — | 635 | #259 |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,394 | 553 | #241 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,373 | 692 | #194 |
| 1935 | 11 | #2,580 | 699 | #188 |
| 1930 | 10 | #2,854 | 756 | #183 |
| 1925 | 9 | #3,366 | 708 | #197 |
| 1920 | 16 | #2,266 | 683 | #197 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,540 | 568 | #195 |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,417 | 122 | #211 |
| 1905 | — | — | 164 | #135 |
| 1900 | — | — | 43 | #325 |
| 1895 | — | — | 26 | #368 |
| 1890 | — | — | 21 | #389 |
| 1885 | — | — | 29 | #312 |
| 1880 | — | — | 14 | #484 |
Famous people named Alton
- Alton Ellis Singer · 1938–2008
- Aílton Soccer player · b. 1973
- Alton B. Parker Politician · 1852–1926
- Aílton Soccer player · b. 1984
- Aílton de Oliveira Modesto Soccer player · b. 1980
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alton mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Alton in 2025?
Alton ranked #1,602 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 106 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Alton?
47,832 babies have been named Alton in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alton most popular?
Alton peaked in 1937, when 836 newborns received the name.
Is Alton a boy or girl name?
Alton is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alton rising or falling?
Alton is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Alton?
Well-known people named Alton include Alton Ellis (singer), Aílton (soccer player), Alton B. Parker (politician).