Total births
2,578
Boys' name · since 1894
Alston
Alston has 2,578 recorded births since 1894 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2017 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3796
- among boys today
- 2,578
- born since 1894
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 73%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Alston is the #3796 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,578 recorded since 1894.
Alston has 2,578 recorded births among boys since 1894, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3796 as of the latest data, more common than 73% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1894 to 2025.
- #3796 among boys today
- 2,578 born since 1894
- 2010s peak decade
- 73% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Alston is currently the #3796 boys' name in America, more common than 73% of boys - 2,578 born since 1894, peaking in the 2010s.
- #3796
- among boys today
- 2,578
- born since 1894
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 73%
- more common than other boys
Alston vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3796
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 73% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Alston was born in this single decade.
2017
Single peak year
70 babies were named Alston in 2017 - its busiest year on record.
How Alston compares
2,578 Top 18% higher than 82% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Alston's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Alston | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,578 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 70 | 23 | 22,252 |
Alston's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Alston's SSA record in two at 1970 and the more recent half accounts for 75% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 25%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1971, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2017 peak of 70, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Alston at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2017
Current rank
#3,796
Active since
1894
Alston popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1894–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 70
- Annual births at peak, across 132 years of records
Alston popularity over time - girls
22 total births recorded since 1997 (Alston as girls' name)
Alston by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Alston's strongest decade.
594 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Alston births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 7
1890s
7 births
- 1910s 108
1910s
108 births
- 1920s 155
1920s
155 births
- 1930s 113
1930s
113 births
- 1940s 92
1940s
92 births
- 1950s 93
1950s
93 births
- 1960s 77
1960s
77 births
- 1970s 72
1970s
72 births
- 1980s 152
1980s
152 births
- 1990s
1990s
471 births
- 2000s
2000s
469 births
- 2010s
2010s
594 births
- 2020s 175
2020s
175 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 594 births (23% of all-time use).
How Alston 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 Alston's total volume
Alston vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Alston by state
Where Alston concentrates geographically, total births since 1894
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 191 | 7.4% |
| #2 | California | | 190 | 7.4% |
| #3 | New York | | 158 | 6.1% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 44 | 1.7% |
| #5 | South Carolina | | 28 | 1.1% |
| #6 | Texas | | 16 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Florida | | 11 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 10 | 0.4% |
North Carolina share of Alston's total US births 7.4%
Even split
191 of 2,578 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Alston? ▼
Alston has been given to 2,578 babies in the U.S. since 1894, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #3796 as of the latest data. 70 babies were born in 2017, its single highest year.
When was Alston most popular? ▼
Alston was most popular in the 2010s decade with 594 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
Where is Alston most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Alston are North Carolina (191 births), California (190 births), New York (158 births).
How long has the name Alston been used? ▼
Records for Alston go back to 1894, giving 132 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Alston? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Alson, Alshon, Alshawn, Alsexander. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Alston's data
- Alston's decade-level peak was the 2010s (594 total births); usage has since declined to 175 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Alstons (191 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Alston
Nearby Names Like Alston
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Alston
Compare Alston side by side: Alston vs Alson Alston vs Alshon Alston vs Alshawn
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Alston
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, 1894–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Alston: #3796 Boys' Name - 2,578 Births, Peak 2017." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/alston. 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 Alston 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.