Baby Name of the Day: Alfred

The baby name Alfred has belonged to a poet and a king, a playboy and a fool. It’s a lost classic that might just be ready for revival.

Thanks to Lyndsay for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

THE MEANING OF THE NAME ALFRED

Alfred is impeccably English – Old English, in fact, from the elements aelf – elf – and raed – counsel.

Lots of names from the same origin exist in the era. Scholars generally agree that an elf in Anglo-Saxon England wasn’t what we think of today – neither Legolas nor the Keebler elves. It was probably closer to a minor god, though that’s uncertain. And it’s possible that parents chose aelf names for lots of reasons other than meaning, including just plain liking the name.

What’s certain: back in the 800s, Alfred the Great ruled Wessex. His popularity probably explains why Alfred outlasted names like Alfhelm and Alfdag.

ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON

Plenty of Anglo-Saxon names eventually made a comeback, especially ones like Alfred, recorded in history books.

In 1809, the clergyman George Tennyson and his wife, Elizabeth, welcomed a son they named Alfred.

All these years later, his poetry remains widely read.

His career began while still a Cambridge student. Tennyson wrote some of the most memorable works in the English language, like “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Morte d’Arthur,” and “The Lady of Shalott.”

HITCHCOCK, NOBEL and MORE

By the late 1800s, the baby name Alfred was among the most popular names given to boys born in the US. Alfred remained a Top 50 pick through 1932, and Top 100 through 1951.

That’s plenty of parents who embraced Alfred. No surprise that you’ve heard of at least a few, including:

• Legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock.
• Alfred Pennypacker, fictional butler to Bruce Wayne – aka Batman.
• Mathematician and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead.
• Publisher Alfred A. Knopf.
• Swedish inventor-turned-philanthropist Alfred Nobel.

Other references are fading. Long-running Mad magazine featured jug-eared mascot Alfred E. Neuman on its cover for decades. While the publication still exists, a younger generation doesn’t necessarily recognize the name – which gives the baby name Alfred more of a blank slate.

NICKNAMES for ALFRED

Darling Freddie, quirky Alf, easy-going Al.

Nicknames for Alfred abound.

And, of course, there’s Alfie.

Bill Naughton’s 1963 stage play Alfie told the story of a man-about-town, popular with the ladies, ultimately alone. It became a hit movie in 1966, starring Michael Caine. In 2004, an updated version starring Jude Law debuted on the big screen.

The title song to the 1966 movie, “Alfie” was a success, too. Dionne Warwick recorded one popular version. (Listen to Cynthia Erivo singing it for Warwick during the 46th Kennedy Center Honors and Joss Stone’s update for the 2004 movie.)

Alfie is the obvious choice for the baby name Alfred, an accessible choice with a fun, throwback kind of vibe. And while the movie character is not exactly a role model, he’s undeniably handsome.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME ALFRED?

As of 2023, the baby name Alfred ranked a chilly #927 in the US.

That works out to 245 births, a number so low that Alfred might exit the Top 1000 entirely. It’s been in decline since the 1950s.

HANDSOME TRADITIONAL PICK

And yet, the baby name Alfred peaked in the late 1920s.

The 100 Year Rule suggests that it takes a name about a century to cycle from peak popularity to obscurity and back again.

Despite those lagging numbers, it feels possible that Alfred might just on the verge of a comeback.

And even if that’s not true? Handsome, vaguely British, storied, nickname-rich Alfred is the kind of surprising choice that could wear well. If you love Theodore, but crave something much less popular, Alfred is worth a closer look.

What do you think of the baby name Alfred?

First published on November 28, 2008, this post was revised and re-published on August 9, 2024.