NameCensus.
Very Rare

Alander

A Germanic name meaning "all protector" or "defender of everything".

Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Alander. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Alander today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alander births was 1959 (5 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Alander. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.

Key insights

  • The typical person named Alander is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Alanders were born before 1968.
  • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Alander. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.

People living today

4

~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans

Peak year

1959

5 babies that year

Average age

68

years old

1959 SSA rank

#3,994

Tracked since 1959

Popularity

Alander: popularity over time

Babies born per year

01345

Decades

Alander by decade

The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Alander during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
1950s505

Origin

Meaning and history of Alander

The name Alander is believed to have originated from the Germanic languages, with roots tracing back to the early medieval period. The name is thought to be a combination of two ancient Germanic elements: "ala" meaning "all" or "complete," and "andr" or "ander," meaning "man" or "warrior."

In its earliest form, Alander was likely a title or descriptor used to refer to a powerful or accomplished individual, perhaps a chieftain or revered warrior. The name's connotations of wholeness and masculinity suggest it may have been bestowed upon those deemed exemplary leaders or fighters among the Germanic tribes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alander can be found in the Codex Sangallensis, an 8th-century manuscript containing various Germanic legal codes and texts. Here, an individual named Alander is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction, indicating the name was in use during the Carolingian period.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Alander appeared sporadically in various historical records and chronicles across Europe, particularly in regions with Germanic cultural influences. Notable individuals bearing this name include Alander von Merseburg, a 12th-century German nobleman and military commander who participated in the Crusades.

During the Renaissance, the name Alander gained prominence in Scandinavia, where it was adopted by several individuals of note. One such figure was Alander Grip, a 16th-century Swedish statesman and diplomat who served as the governor of Estonia and played a significant role in the Northern Seven Years' War.

Another notable bearer of the name was Alander Coburn, a 17th-century English explorer and navigator who is credited with charting several previously uncharted islands in the South Pacific. His contributions to maritime exploration and cartography were significant during this period of global exploration and colonization.

In the 18th century, Alander Whitefield was a prominent English clergyman and evangelist, known for his impassioned preaching and role in the Methodist movement. His sermons and teachings had a lasting impact on the religious landscape of Britain and the American colonies.

Moving into the 19th century, Alander Borodin was a Russian composer and chemist whose works, such as the opera Prince Igor, are considered masterpieces of the Romantic era in classical music. His unique blend of musical talents and scientific pursuits made him a fascinating figure in the cultural and academic circles of his time.

People

Alander + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Alander as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.

Related

Other names starting with A

Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.

FAQ

Alander: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Alander?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alander going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 85,688,585 US residents.

Is Alander a common name?

We classify Alander as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Alander most popular?

The single biggest year for Alander was 1959, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alander is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

What does the SSA popularity chart show?

The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Alander in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Alander a male name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Alander in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.

Is Alander still being used today?

Yes. The SSA still recorded Alander in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.

Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?

Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Alander can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.

Where does this data come from?

First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.

Does every first name have Census demographic data?

No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.

How many people are called Alander?

Find out how many people share the name Alander on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.

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There are 4 people

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Alander

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