Holding steady.
Popularity of Alfons since 1900
Babies named Alfons per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1919, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Alfons's real moment was 1900.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 179 |
| 1920s | 154 |
| 1930s | 59 |
| 1940s | 11 |
| 1950s | 10 |
| 1960s | 23 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Alfons, a Germanic name meaning 'noble and ready,' has never been a common choice in the United States. In the Social Security Administration data, its first recorded year is 1900, which also marks its peak year; since then, it has maintained a very low and stable usage, with no years of significant rise or fall. The name is rarely given today, appearing only sporadically in birth records. It remains far more familiar in Germany and the Netherlands, where it has a classic, old-world feel. The trajectory of Alfons has been flat for over a century, a testament to its niche status outside of Europe.
Alfons is the German, Dutch, and Scandinavian form of Alfonso, which derives from the Germanic name Adalfuns, composed of the elements adal 'noble' and funs 'ready, eager'. The name was borne by several kings of Spain and Portugal, as well as saints, and spread across Europe through royal and noble use. In German-speaking regions, it became established as a given name by the 19th century.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Alf, Fons, Alfi
Sibling names for Alfons
Names that share Alfons's style, for a brother or sister.
