boy's name
Alfred
AL-frəd
- Origin English
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 326,088
the United States
#841
2025 births
Alfred is a boy's name of Old English origin meaning "elf counsel." It comes from ælf, elf, and ræd, advice, and is one of the very few Anglo-Saxon names to survive the Norman Conquest in continuous use.
- Alfred is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1928, when 6,291 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 773 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Alfred over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Alfred is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 4,837 |
| 1890s | 5,386 |
| 1900s | 6,380 |
| 1910s | 32,783 |
| 1920s | 50,456 |
| 1930s | 34,606 |
| 1940s | 32,135 |
| 1950s | 29,890 |
| 1960s | 18,792 |
| 1970s | 10,646 |
| 1980s | 7,509 |
| 1990s | 4,737 |
| 2000s | 2,924 |
| 2010s | 2,442 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,630 |
What Alfred means
Alfred means counseled by elves, or wise through supernatural advice. Anglo-Saxons regarded elves as powerful beings whose favor conferred insight, so the name claims wisdom from beyond ordinary sources.
Where Alfred comes from
Alfred descends from the Old English Ælfræd, from ælf, elf, and ræd, counsel — the second element also ends Ethelred and Conrad. The ælf element was common in Anglo-Saxon names precisely because elves were understood as formidable rather than decorative. Alfred the Great, king of Wessex from 871, is the reason the name survived: he is the only English monarch called the Great, and his reputation for learning as well as for resisting the Danes kept the name in use through the Norman period when almost every other Old English name was abandoned.
Alfred in use
Our data shows Alfred stable, peaking in 1928, at 76 in England and Wales against 841 in the United States. Its pet form Alfie sits at 16 in England and Wales — so like Freddie and Albie, the diminutive now outranks the parent name several times over.
How popular is Alfred?
In 2025, Alfred was given to 682 babies in England and Wales, ranking #76 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Alfred is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Alfred
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Alfred also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Alfred over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
4 nicknames for Alfred
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Alfred in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Alfred
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Alfred — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Alfred
What does the name Alfred mean?
Alfred means "elf counsel," from the Old English ælf, elf, and ræd, advice.
Why did Alfred survive the Norman Conquest?
Alfred the Great, king of Wessex from 871, is the only English monarch called the Great, and his reputation kept the name in use.
Is Alfie short for Alfred?
Yes, though Alfie is now registered independently and outranks Alfred several times over in England and Wales.
How popular is the name Alfred?
In 2025, Alfred was given to 682 babies in England and Wales, ranking #76 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Alfred a girl's or a boy's name?
Alfred is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Alfred?
Alfred has 2 syllables.
When was Alfred most popular?
Alfred peaked in 1928, when 6,291 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Alfred?
Alfred is usually shortened to Alf, Alfie, Fred and Freddie.
Is Alfred a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Alfred currently ranks #76 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.