Alder
Tree with smooth cone-bearing bark and small woody fruit.
Name Census estimates that about 1,249 living Americans carry the first name Alder. It is a predominantly male name (95.4% of registrations). The average person named Alder today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alder births was 2024 (129 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alder. 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
- • Although Alder is used almost entirely for boys, the SSA data does show 59 girls registered with the name since 1880.
- • Alder is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 9 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 274,423 Americans
Peak year
2024
129 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,421
Tracked since 1903
Gender
Gender distribution for Alder
Alder leans heavily male at 95.4% of total registrations, but 59 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Alder as a male name
- Ranked #1,421 in 2024
- 129 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (129 births)
Alder as a female name
- Ranked #15,274 in 2023
- 5 female births in 2023
- Peak: 2017 (9 births)
Popularity
Alder: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Alder from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 599 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alder 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 Alder during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Alders live
The SSA's state-level files cover 12 states and territories. Oregon, Washington, California recorded the most babies named Alder, while Virginia, New York, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 42 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Alder
The name Alder has its origins in Old English and Germanic languages, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "alor," meaning "alder tree," which is a species of tree belonging to the birch family.
This name was likely first used as a surname or byname, referring to someone who lived near an alder tree or grove. Over time, it transitioned into use as a given name, particularly in England and other parts of the British Isles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alder is found in the Domesday Book, a historical record commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Alor" and "Aloyr," indicating its use during the Norman period.
In the Middle Ages, the name Alder was occasionally mentioned in literary works and historical accounts, although its usage was relatively rare. One notable example is Alder of Winchester, a 12th-century scholar and theologian who wrote extensively on biblical exegesis.
During the Renaissance and Reformation periods, the name Alder continued to be used, albeit infrequently. One notable bearer was Alder Everitt (1535-1592), an English clergyman and one of the translators involved in the creation of the King James Bible.
In the 17th century, Alder gained some prominence as a given name in Puritan communities in New England. Alder Brewster (1619-1684) was a prominent figure in the early history of Massachusetts, serving as a military officer and local leader.
Another significant figure was Alder Philbrick (1689-1771), a colonial American farmer and early settler in New Hampshire. He played a role in the establishment of the town of Rye and was involved in various land disputes with neighboring communities.
As the name Alder continued to be used over the centuries, other notable individuals bearing this name included Alder Belknap (1751-1826), an American lawyer and jurist who served as a justice on the Supreme Court of New Hampshire, and Alder Crosby (1808-1885), a Baptist minister and author from Maine.
While not a widely popular name throughout history, Alder has maintained a presence as a unique and nature-inspired choice, particularly in English-speaking countries. Its connection to the alder tree and its Old English roots lend it a sense of rustic charm and cultural significance.
People
Alder + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alder 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
Alder: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alder?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,249 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alder 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 274,423 US residents.
Is Alder a common name?
We classify Alder as "Rare". It ranks above 91.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,291 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alder most popular?
The single biggest year for Alder was 2024, when 129 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alder is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Alder a male name?
Yes, 95.4% of people registered as Alder 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.
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.