Total births
1,101
Boys' name · since 1883
Alvan
1,101 babies named Alvan in U.S. Social Security records since 1883, with the highest year being 1927. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 1,101
- total births
- 1883–2016
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 27%
- born in that decade
Alvan sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,101 recorded since 1883.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Alvan has been recorded 1,101 times among boys since 1883, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1883 to 2016.
- 1,101 total births
- 1883–2016 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 27% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,101 boys have been named Alvan since 1883, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2016.
- 1,101
- total births
- 1883–2016
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 27%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Alvan was born in this single decade.
1927
Single peak year
53 babies were named Alvan in 1927 - its busiest year on record.
Alvan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Alvan's SSA record in two at 1948 and the more recent half accounts for 29% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 71%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1883, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1927 peak of 53, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Alvan at a glance
Last recorded 2016Peak year
1927
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1883
Alvan popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1883–2016
- Peak year (1927)
- 53
- Annual births at peak, across 134 years of records
Alvan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Alvan's strongest decade.
300 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Alvan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
162 births
- 1920s
1920s
300 births
- 1930s
1930s
186 births
- 1940s
1940s
158 births
- 1950s 101
1950s
101 births
- 1960s 49
1960s
49 births
- 1970s 46
1970s
46 births
- 1980s 27
1980s
27 births
- 1990s 13
1990s
13 births
- 2000s 44
2000s
44 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 300 births (27% of all-time use).
How Alvan 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 Alvan's total volume
Alvan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Alvan by state
Where Alvan concentrates geographically, total births since 1883
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Massachusetts | | 110 | 10.0% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 10 | 0.9% |
Massachusetts share of Alvan's total US births 10.0%
Even split
110 of 1,101 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Alvan? ▼
Alvan has been given to 1,101 babies in the U.S. since 1883, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2016. 53 babies were born in 1927, its single highest year.
When was Alvan most popular? ▼
Alvan was most popular in the 1920s decade with 300 total births. The single peak year was 1927.
Where is Alvan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Alvan are Massachusetts (110 births), Pennsylvania (10 births).
How long has the name Alvan been used? ▼
Alvan has been recorded in Social Security data since 1883, spanning 134 years of data through 2016.
What names are similar to Alvan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Alvin, Alvaro, Alva, Alvis, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Alvan's data
- Alvan's decade-level peak was the 1920s (300 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Massachusetts records the most Alvans (110 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Massachusetts 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 Alvan
Nearby Names Like Alvan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Alvan
Alvin Boy
#791 161,414 births
Alvaro Boy
#769 17,357 births
Alva Boy
#8988 11,269 births
Alvis Boy
#6479 5,206 births
Alvie Boy
#10941 4,094 births
Compare Alvan side by side: Alvan vs Alvin Alvan vs Alvaro Alvan vs Alva
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, 1883–2016 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Alvan: Baby Name Since 1883 - 1,101 Births, Peak 1927." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/alvan. 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 Alvan 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.