Boys' name · since 1880
Alford
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 4,790 babies named Alford, peaking in 1930. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1,832 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 4,790
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Alford sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 4,790 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Alford recorded 4,790 times among boys since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2019.
- #1,832 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 4,790 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Alford ranks #1,832 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 4,790 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1,832 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 4,790
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Alford's 4,790 recorded births place it above 95.97% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
17 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Texas.
Alford's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Alford's SSA record in two at 1942 and the more recent half accounts for 42% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 58%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1996, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1930 peak of 106, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Alford popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2019
- Peak year (1930)
- 106
- Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
Alford popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1924 (Alford as girls' name)
Alford by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (897 births, 19% of the file).
1920s was Alford's strongest decade.
897 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Alford births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 139
1880s
139 births
- 1890s 127
1890s
127 births
- 1900s 171
1900s
171 births
- 1910s
1910s
538 births
- 1920s
1920s
897 births
- 1930s
1930s
778 births
- 1940s
1940s
697 births
- 1950s
1950s
600 births
- 1960s 344
1960s
344 births
- 1970s 225
1970s
225 births
- 1980s 161
1980s
161 births
- 1990s 81
1990s
81 births
- 2000s 22
2000s
22 births
- 2010s 10
2010s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 897 births (19% of all-time use).
How Alford 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 Alford's total volume
Alford by state
Where Alford concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 612 | 12.8% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 203 | 4.2% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 160 | 3.3% |
| #4 | Mississippi | | 160 | 3.3% |
| #5 | Oklahoma | | 141 | 2.9% |
| #6 | Arkansas | | 119 | 2.5% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 106 | 2.2% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 93 | 1.9% |
612 of 4,790 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Alford appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Alford? ▼
Where does Alford sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Alford most popular? ▼
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What to do with Alford's data
- Alford's decade-level peak was the 1920s (897 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Alfords (612 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Alford
Nearby Names Like Alford
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Alford
Compare Alford side by side: Alford vs Alfred Alford vs Alfredo Alford 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 Alford: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1930)
Similar record span (~139 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, 1880–2019 (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 Alford 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.