Alphe
Variant of the given name Alphaeus, a Greek name derived from Hebrew meaning "leader" or "chief".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Alphe. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Alphe today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alphe births was 1925 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alphe. 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 Alphe. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1925
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1925 SSA rank
#3,750
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Alphe: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Alphe from the 1910s through to the 1920s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 6 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
Alphe 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 Alphe during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Alphe
The name Alphe is believed to have its roots in ancient Greek culture, tracing back to the 5th century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "alphos," which means "white" or "bright." This linguistic connection suggests that the name Alphe may have initially been associated with someone who possessed a fair complexion or a radiant presence.
In Greek mythology, Alphe was the name of a nymph who was pursued by the river god Alpheus. According to the legend, Alpheus fell in love with Alphe and chased her across the Mediterranean Sea, eventually catching up with her in the form of an underground river on the island of Ortygia, near Syracuse in Sicily. This mythological tale has contributed to the enduring significance of the name Alphe within Greek culture.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Alphe was Alphe of Mytilene, a Greek poet who lived in the 7th century BC. She is regarded as one of the earliest known female poets in ancient Greece and is credited with composing lyrical works that celebrated the beauty of nature and the human experience.
In the 3rd century AD, there was a prominent Christian martyr named Alphe who was executed during the Decian persecution under the Roman Emperor Decius. Her unwavering faith and courage in the face of persecution earned her a place in the annals of early Christian history.
During the Byzantine era, Alphe Argyropoulina was a notable figure who lived in the 11th century. She was a member of the influential Argyropoulos family and played a significant role in the political and social circles of the Byzantine Empire.
In the 16th century, Alphe Gandino was an Italian philosopher and physician who made contributions to the fields of medicine and natural philosophy. His writings on medical ethics and the nature of the human soul were widely influential during the Renaissance period.
Another notable figure with the name Alphe was Alphe Madelaine, a French botanist who lived in the 18th century. She was renowned for her extensive research on the flora of the French countryside and her efforts to document and classify various plant species.
While the name Alphe may not be as common today as it was in ancient times, its rich historical and cultural significance ensures that it remains an intriguing and captivating choice for those seeking a unique and meaningful name with deep roots in the past.
People
Alphe + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alphe 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
Alphe: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alphe?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alphe 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 - US residents.
Is Alphe a common name?
We classify Alphe as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alphe most popular?
The single biggest year for Alphe was 1925, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alphe is about 0 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 Alphe in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Alphe a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Alphe 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 Alphe still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Alphe 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 Alphe 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 named Alphe?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.