Boys' name · since 1880
Alpheus
770 babies named Alpheus in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1917. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #6,040 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 770
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
770 boys have been named Alpheus since 1880, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Alpheus has 770 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2024.
- #6,040 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 770 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Alpheus ranks #6,040 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 770 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #6,040 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 770
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Alpheus's 770 recorded births place it above 86.7% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Pennsylvania.
Alpheus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Alpheus's SSA record in two at 1933 and the more recent half accounts for 38% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 62%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1884, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1917 peak of 29, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Alpheus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2024
- Peak year (1917)
- 29
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Alpheus by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (180 births, 23% of the file).
1920s was Alpheus's strongest decade.
180 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Alpheus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 48
1880s
48 births
- 1890s 25
1890s
25 births
- 1900s 25
1900s
25 births
- 1910s
1910s
162 births
- 1920s
1920s
180 births
- 1930s
1930s
94 births
- 1940s
1940s
81 births
- 1950s 70
1950s
70 births
- 1960s 31
1960s
31 births
- 1970s 18
1970s
18 births
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2020s 20
2020s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 180 births (23% of all-time use).
How Alpheus 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 Alpheus's total volume
Alpheus by state
Where Alpheus concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 10 | 1.3% |
| #2 | Virginia | | 5 | 0.6% |
10 of 770 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Alpheus? ▼
Where does Alpheus sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Alpheus most popular? ▼
Where is Alpheus most popular? ▼
How long has the name Alpheus been used? ▼
What names are similar to Alpheus? ▼
What to do with Alpheus's data
- Alpheus's decade-level peak was the 1920s (180 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Alpheuss (10 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Alpheus
Nearby Names Like Alpheus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Alpheus
Compare Alpheus side by side: Alpheus vs Alphonso Alpheus vs Alphonse Alpheus vs Alpha
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Alpheus: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1917)
Similar record span (~144 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, 1880–2024 (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 Alpheus 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.