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.
- #4,820 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,101
- born since 1883
- 1920s
- peak 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.
- #4,820 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,101 born since 1883
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Alvan ranks #4,820 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,101 born since 1883, peaking in the 1920s.
- #4,820 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,101
- born since 1883
- 1920s
- peak decade
Alvan's 1,101 recorded births place it above 89.4% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Massachusetts.
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 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
1920s is the heaviest window (300 births, 27% of the file).
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 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% |
110 of 1,101 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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
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
Compare Alvan side by side: Alvan vs Alvin Alvan vs Alvaro Alvan vs Alva
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Alvan: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1927)
Similar record span (~133 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, 1883–2016 (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 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 August 2026.