Alfio
Of Sicilian origin, meaning "the one who defends."
Name Census estimates that about 46 living Americans carry the first name Alfio. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Alfio today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alfio births was 1918 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alfio. 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 Alfio is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Alfios were born before 1968.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Alfio. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
46
~ 1 in 7,451,181 Americans
Peak year
1918
14 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1979 SSA rank
#6,082
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Alfio: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Alfio from the 1910s through to the 1970s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 88 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alfio 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 Alfio during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Alfios live
Origin
Meaning and history of Alfio
The name Alfio has its origins in the Latin language and can be traced back to ancient Roman times. It is believed to be derived from the Latin name Alphius, which itself comes from the Greek word "alphos" meaning "white" or "bright".
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Alfio can be found in ancient Roman texts and inscriptions, where it was a relatively common name given to male children. It is possible that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals with fair or pale complexions, reflecting the meaning of its Greek root.
In the Middle Ages, the name Alfio continued to be used, primarily in Italian-speaking regions. It was particularly popular in Sicily, where it is believed to have been introduced by Greek settlers in ancient times. The name also appeared in various religious texts and records of the time, although its usage remained relatively localized.
One of the earliest notable individuals to bear the name Alfio was Alfio Valerio, a Roman jurist who lived in the 2nd century AD. He is known for his work in Roman law and for serving as a legal advisor to several Roman emperors.
In the 13th century, Saint Alfio was a Catholic martyr who was venerated in Sicily. He is believed to have been a Christian missionary who was executed for his faith during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Diocletian. His feast day is celebrated on May 10th in the Catholic Church.
Another notable figure named Alfio was Alfio Zardini (1887-1967), an Italian painter and sculptor who was a prominent figure in the Futurist movement. His works often depicted scenes of urban life and industrial landscapes.
In the 20th century, Alfio Basile (1924-2005) was an Italian film director and screenwriter who worked on several popular Italian movies in the 1960s and 1970s, including the classic spaghetti western "Django" (1966).
More recently, Alfio Ghezzi (born 1946) is an Italian singer and songwriter who has enjoyed a successful career in the music industry, particularly in the genre of Italian pop music.
People
Alfio + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alfio 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
Alfio: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alfio?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 46 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alfio 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 7,451,181 US residents.
Is Alfio a common name?
We classify Alfio as "Very Rare". It ranks above 53.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 203 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alfio most popular?
The single biggest year for Alfio was 1918, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alfio is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Alfio a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Alfio 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.