Boys' name · since 1880
Alf
1,130 babies named Alf in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1916. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #4,750 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,130
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
1,130 boys have been named Alf since 1880, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Alf recorded 1,130 times among boys since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1910s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 1979.
- #4,750 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,130 born since 1880
- 1910s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Alf ranks #4,750 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,130 born since 1880, peaking in the 1910s.
- #4,750 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,130
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
Alf's 1,130 recorded births place it above 89.55% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
7 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Minnesota.
Alf's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Alf's SSA record in two at 1925 and the more recent half accounts for 43% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 57%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1881, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1916 peak of 38, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Alf popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1979
- Peak year (1916)
- 38
- Annual births at peak, across 100 years of records
Alf by decade
1910s is the heaviest window (270 births, 24% of the file).
1910s was Alf's strongest decade.
270 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Alf births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 84
1880s
84 births
- 1890s 78
1890s
78 births
- 1900s 83
1900s
83 births
- 1910s
1910s
270 births
- 1920s
1920s
231 births
- 1930s
1930s
157 births
- 1940s 88
1940s
88 births
- 1950s 65
1950s
65 births
- 1960s 42
1960s
42 births
- 1970s 32
1970s
32 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 270 births (24% of all-time use).
How Alf compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Alf's total volume
Alf by state
Where Alf concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 33 | 2.9% |
| #2 | New York | | 24 | 2.1% |
| #3 | North Dakota | | 22 | 1.9% |
| #4 | Tennessee | | 11 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Mississippi | | 10 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Washington | | 5 | 0.4% |
33 of 1,130 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Alf? ▼
Where does Alf sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Alf most popular? ▼
Where is Alf most popular? ▼
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What to do with Alf's data
- Alf's decade-level peak was the 1910s (270 total births); usage has since declined to 32 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Minnesota records the most Alfs (33 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Alf
Nearby Names Like Alf
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Alf
Compare Alf side by side: Alf vs Alfred Alf vs Alfredo Alf vs Alfonso
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Alf: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1916)
Similar record span (~99 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–1979 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Alf draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.