Alpha

Alpha - A very unique male name

Alpha appeared on the charts for the first time in 1913 on position #893. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Alpha and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Alpha? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Alpha. The baby boy name Alpha was given to 27 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2170 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 54,307 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Alpha peaked in popularity 113 years ago in 1913 on position 893.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Alpha, 1-5?

Alpha is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Alpha is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #663 - and is the least popular in Ohio at position #1,272.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Alpha is where you live.

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Alpha origin and meaning

Greek — letter name / word name

Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, used figuratively for "the first, the beginning"

Alpha has appeared sporadically in US data since 1913, for both religious reasons (Alpha and Omega) and as a bold word name. Its use peaked modestly in 2016 and has fallen since.

Attested etymology

Alpha is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Alpha, pop culture references for the name Alpha and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Alpha

We've found the following names that sound similar to Alpha, sorted by popularity.

Alva / Alvie / Alfie / Alp / Alvah / Alf / Aleph / Albie / Alfio / Alvey /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Alpha

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Alpha a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Alpha?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

AL-fuh · /ˈælfə/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Word name

Why parents choose it

Alpha is a statement name — first, foremost, a beginning — chosen by parents comfortable with boldness.

Worth knowing

• The modern slang sense of 'alpha' (as in 'alpha male') is a strong and divisive association to weigh.