Total births
985
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.
- 985
- total births
- 1886–2016
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 20%
- born in that 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.
- 985 total births
- 1886–2016 years on record
- 1970s peak decade
- 20% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
985 boys have been named Algernon since 1886, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 2016.
- 985
- total births
- 1886–2016
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 20%
- born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Algernon was born in this single decade.
1972
Single peak year
29 babies were named Algernon in 1972 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 2016Peak year
1972
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1886
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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 vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
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% |
Georgia share of Algernon's total US births 2.6%
Even split
26 of 985 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Algernon? ▼
Algernon has been given to 985 babies in the U.S. since 1886, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2016. 29 babies were born in 1972, its single highest year.
When was Algernon most popular? ▼
Algernon was most popular in the 1970s decade with 199 total births. The single peak year was 1972.
Where is Algernon most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Algernon are Georgia (26 births), Florida (12 births), New York (5 births).
How long has the name Algernon been used? ▼
Algernon has been recorded in Social Security data since 1886, spanning 131 years of data through 2016.
What names are similar to Algernon? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Algie, Alger, Algis, Algenis, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare 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
Algie Boy
1,529 births
Alger Boy
832 births
Algis Boy
104 births
Algenis Boy
65 births
Algia Boy
58 births
Compare Algernon side by side: Algernon vs Algie Algernon vs Alger Algernon vs Algis
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Algernon: Baby Name Since 1886 - 985 Births, Peak 1972." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/algernon. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 June 2026.