Alfonson
Noble, ready for battle; derived from Germanic elements meaning "eager" and "ready".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Alfonson. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Alfonson today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alfonson births was 1965 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alfonson. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Alfonson. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1965
8 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
1965 SSA rank
#2,987
Tracked since 1965
Popularity
Alfonson: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Alfonson 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 Alfonson during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8 | 0 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Alfonson
The given name Alfonson has its origins in the medieval Spanish language, derived from the Germanic name Alfonso. The name rose to prominence during the 8th and 9th centuries in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in the Kingdom of Asturias and the Emirate of Córdoba.
Alfonson is a variant spelling of the name Alfonso, which is believed to have evolved from the Germanic words "adal" meaning "noble" and "funs" meaning "ready" or "eager." The combination of these words suggests that the name Alfonson may have originally referred to someone of noble or eager disposition.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Alfonson can be found in the "Crónica de Alfonso III" (Chronicle of Alfonso III), a historical record from the 9th century that mentions an Alfonson who was a count in the Kingdom of Asturias. This suggests that the name was in use among the nobility of the region during that period.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Alfonson. One of the most famous was Alfonson VI of León and Castile (1040-1109), a powerful Spanish monarch who played a significant role in the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.
Another prominent figure was Alfonson VIII of Castile (1155-1214), known as the "Noble King," who led the Christian forces to victory against the Almohads in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, a crucial turning point in the Reconquista.
In the realm of literature, Alfonson X of Castile (1221-1284), also known as "El Sabio" (The Learned One), was a notable figure. He was a prolific patron of the arts and sciences and oversaw the production of numerous literary works, including the "Cantigas de Santa María" (Songs of Holy Mary) and the "Libro de los Juegos" (Book of Games).
The name Alfonson also appeared in religious contexts, with Alfonson de Castro (1285-1354), a Spanish Dominican friar and theologian who served as the Archbishop of Seville and authored several theological works.
Lastly, Alfonson de Trastámara (1396-1468), a member of the Trastámara dynasty, was a prominent military leader and served as the Count of Denia and the Duke of Arjona during the 15th century.
These examples illustrate the historical significance and widespread use of the name Alfonson, particularly among the nobility, clergy, and military leaders of medieval Spain. While its popularity may have waned in modern times, the name remains an enduring part of Spanish cultural heritage and a testament to the rich tapestry of the region's history.
People
Alfonson + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alfonson 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
Alfonson: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alfonson?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alfonson 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Alfonson a common name?
We classify Alfonson as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alfonson most popular?
The single biggest year for Alfonson was 1965, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alfonson is about 60 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 Alfonson in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Alfonson a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Alfonson 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 Alfonson still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Alfonson 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 Alfonson 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 have the name Alfonson?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.