unisex name · in the US
Alpha
al-FAH
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 11,762
France
#470
2025 births
Alpha is a unisex name in the United States, with 2 syllables. It is given to both girls and boys — about 61% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 77 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Peaked in 1917, when 230 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 43,057 babies in the United States is given this name.
- Alpha started out as a girls' name and is now given almost entirely to boys.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Alpha Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 451 |
| 1890s | 767 |
| 1900s | 896 |
| 1910s | 1,770 |
| 1920s | 1,751 |
| 1930s | 1,022 |
| 1940s | 665 |
| 1950s | 397 |
| 1960s | 242 |
| 1970s | 246 |
| 1980s | 178 |
| 1990s | 247 |
| 2000s | 479 |
| 2010s | 514 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 420 |
How Popular Is Alpha?
In 2025, Alpha was given to 77 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Alpha Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Alpha
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Alpha Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Alpha over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Alpha is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 11% girls · 680 babies
- France Boys' 0% girls · 615 babies
- Canada Boys' 0% girls · 165 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 2% girls · 130 babies
How to Say Alpha
- Pronunciation al-FAH
Sibling Names for Alpha
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Alpha — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Alpha
How popular is the name Alpha?
In 2025, Alpha was given to 77 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Alpha a girl's or a boy's name?
Alpha is used for both girls and boys. About 61% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Alpha?
Alpha has 2 syllables.
When was Alpha most popular?
Alpha peaked in 1917, when 230 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Alpha a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Alpha currently ranks #470 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.
Was Alpha originally a boys' or girls' name?
Alpha was given mostly to girls in the earliest US birth records and is now given almost entirely to boys.