Boys' name · since 1886
Algernon
985 babies named Algernon in U.S. Social Security records since 1886, with the highest year being 1972. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #5,184 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 985
- born since 1886
- 1970s
- peak decade
Algernon sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 985 recorded since 1886.
Algernon has 985 recorded births among boys since 1886, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1970s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2016.
- #5,184 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 985 born since 1886
- 1970s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Algernon ranks #5,184 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 985 born since 1886, peaking in the 1970s.
- #5,184 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 985
- born since 1886
- 1970s
- peak decade
Algernon's 985 recorded births place it above 88.59% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by Georgia.
Algernon's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Algernon's SSA record in two at 1963 and the more recent half accounts for 61% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 39%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1886, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1972 peak of 29, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Algernon popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2016
- Peak year (1972)
- 29
- Annual births at peak, across 131 years of records
Algernon by decade
1970s is the heaviest window (199 births, 20% of the file).
1970s was Algernon's strongest decade.
199 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Algernon births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1910s 75
1910s
75 births
- 1920s
1920s
82 births
- 1930s 56
1930s
56 births
- 1940s 46
1940s
46 births
- 1950s
1950s
100 births
- 1960s
1960s
102 births
- 1970s
1970s
199 births
- 1980s
1980s
156 births
- 1990s
1990s
100 births
- 2000s 37
2000s
37 births
- 2010s 27
2010s
27 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 199 births (20% of all-time use).
How Algernon 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 Algernon's total volume
Algernon by state
Where Algernon concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 26 | 2.6% |
| #2 | Florida | | 12 | 1.2% |
| #3 | New York | | 5 | 0.5% |
26 of 985 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Algernon's data
- Algernon's decade-level peak was the 1970s (199 total births); usage has since declined to 27 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Georgia records the most Algernons (26 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Algernon
Nearby Names Like Algernon
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Algernon
Compare Algernon side by side: Algernon vs Algie Algernon vs Alger Algernon vs Algis
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Algernon: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1972)
Similar record span (~130 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, 1886–2016 (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 Algernon 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.