Alphonse
Boy name · #2517 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Alphonse? In official American birth records, Alphonse has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Alphonse is currently the #2517 boy name in the United States — 53 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #4295, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 33,962 boys born in 2025 was named Alphonse.
Babies named Alphonse per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Alphonse first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 20 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 357 boys were named Alphonse — good for #288 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alphonse against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alphonse in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alphonse is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Alphonse will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Alphonse is most common
State-level data for Alphonse is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Alphonse
Statistically, parents drawn to Alphonse tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Everette, Valentine, Roscoe, Clement, and Henderson.
EveretteValentineRoscoeClementHendersonAbeEmileJudge
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alphonse | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53 | #2516 |
| 2024 | 57 | #2418 |
| 2023 | 50 | #2614 |
| 2022 | 55 | #2493 |
| 2021 | 52 | #2523 |
| 2020 | 54 | #2419 |
| 2019 | 29 | #3716 |
| 2018 | 35 | #3240 |
| 2017 | 37 | #3123 |
| 2016 | 44 | #2726 |
| 2015 | 23 | #4295 |
| 2014 | 26 | #3891 |
| 2013 | 21 | #4463 |
| 2012 | 16 | #5482 |
| 2011 | 20 | #4659 |
| 2010 | 14 | #6036 |
| 2009 | 16 | #5554 |
| 2008 | 16 | #5487 |
| 2007 | 16 | #5434 |
| 2006 | 11 | #6904 |
| 2005 | 14 | #5578 |
| 2004 | 11 | #6520 |
| 2003 | 17 | #4616 |
| 2002 | 17 | #4502 |
| 2001 | 12 | #5667 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Alphonse?
In official American birth records, the name Alphonse first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 20 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Alphonse a popular boy name?
Alphonse ranked #2517 among boys in 2025 with 53 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4295.
When was the name Alphonse most popular?
Alphonse peaked in 1918, when 357 American boys received the name (ranked #288 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Alphonse?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 33,962 newborn American boys was named Alphonse. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.