Declining since 1992, #1,012 for boys today.
Popularity of Alfonso since 1881
Babies named Alfonso per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1991, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Alfonso's real moment was 1909.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 43 |
| 1890s | 108 |
| 1900s | 338 |
| 1910s | 1,649 |
| 1920s | 3,294 |
| 1930s | 2,986 |
| 1940s | 2,987 |
| 1950s | 3,819 |
| 1960s | 3,775 |
| 1970s | 4,115 |
| 1980s | 4,537 |
| 1990s | 5,201 |
| 2000s | 4,508 |
| 2010s | 2,680 |
| 2020s | 1,424 |
Meaning & origin
Alfonso has a long history as a royal name in Spain and Italy, but its American trajectory has been steadily downward since the 1990s. After a peak in 1909, when it ranked highest nationally, the name has fallen to rank 1,012 in 2025, with only 1 in 7,660 newborn boys receiving the name. The decline has been consistent since 1992, and the name is now concentrated in states with large Hispanic populations, including Texas, California, and Arizona. Despite its fall from mid-century heights, Alfonso remains a recognizable classic with a distinguished meaning.
Alfonso is derived from the Germanic name Adalfuns, composed of the elements adal (noble) and funs (ready). The name was adopted by Spanish and Italian royalty, most notably King Alfonso X of Castile (13th century), and has been a classic in the Iberian Peninsula for centuries.
Where Alfonso is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Al, Fons, Fonsi, Alfie
Sibling names for Alfonso
Names that share Alfonso's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Isabella, Valentina, Catalina, Gabriela, Sofia, Imelda, Arcelia, Doretta, Herlinda, Mafalda, Brunilda, Edelmira, Adelfa, Armandina, Concettina, Ermalinda, Hermila, Marzetta, Cleotilde, Leonilda, Malicia
Brothers: Diego, Mateo, Lorenzo, Santiago, Emilio, Ferdinand, Alfonza, Arnulfo, Benigno, Braulio, Everardo, Narciso, Silverio, Ubaldo, Alphonza, Edelmiro, Ildefonso, Rinaldo, Rumaldo, Sigifredo, Abundio, Adelaido, Alfonzia, Baldomero, Liborio, Panfilo, Epimenio, Tranquilino, Alfonsa, Archivaldo, Cid, Guerino, Heliodoro, Ranulfo
Names like Alfonso
Names whose popularity has moved with Alfonso's over the last 50 years.
