Alphus
Of disputed origin, but possibly derived from a diminutive of Alfred.
Name Census estimates that about 18 living Americans carry the first name Alphus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Alphus today is around 88 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alphus births was 1921 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alphus. 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 Alphus is about 88 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Alphus' were born before 1948.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Alphus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
18
~ 1 in 19,041,908 Americans
Peak year
1921
9 babies that year
Average age
88
years old
1952 SSA rank
#3,383
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Alphus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Alphus from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 45 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alphus 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 Alphus 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 Alphus
The given name Alphus has its origins in ancient Greek culture, with roots dating back to the 5th century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "alphos," which means "white" or "bright." This name was likely used to describe someone with pale or fair skin, or perhaps someone seen as radiant or luminous.
Alphus was not an exceptionally common name in ancient Greek society, but it did appear in some historical texts and records. One notable mention is in the writings of the philosopher Aristotle, who referred to an Alphus as one of his students. However, little is known about this individual beyond the name itself.
The earliest recorded use of the name Alphus can be traced to around 400 BC, when it appeared on a few ancient Greek inscriptions and pottery fragments. It was more prevalent in certain regions, such as the island of Crete and the city-states of Athens and Corinth.
Throughout history, there have been a handful of notable individuals who bore the name Alphus. One of the earliest was Alphus of Crotona, a Greek philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 5th century BC. He was a follower of the Pythagorean school of thought and is credited with making contributions to the study of geometry and number theory.
Another historical figure named Alphus was a Byzantine soldier and military commander who lived in the 9th century AD. He served under the Emperor Basil I and played a crucial role in defending the Byzantine Empire against Arab invaders during the Abbasid–Byzantine wars.
In the realm of literature, there was an Alphus who was a Greek playwright and poet active in the 3rd century BC. While none of his works have survived in their entirety, fragments of his plays have been found and studied by scholars.
During the Renaissance period, an Italian artist and sculptor named Alphus Cittadini (1456-1528) gained recognition for his work in various churches and cathedrals across Italy. He is particularly known for his sculptures adorning the Cathedral of Milan.
Another notable bearer of the name was Alphus Rodgers (1876-1942), an American politician and lawyer who served as a United States Representative from Texas in the early 20th century.
While the name Alphus has Greek origins, it has been used sporadically throughout history in various cultures and regions, albeit with low frequency. The name's rarity and unique sound have contributed to its enduring presence, even if it has never achieved widespread popularity.
People
Alphus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alphus 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
Alphus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alphus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 18 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alphus 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 19,041,908 US residents.
Is Alphus a common name?
We classify Alphus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 38.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 121 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alphus most popular?
The single biggest year for Alphus was 1921, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alphus is about 88 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 Alphus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Alphus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Alphus 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 Alphus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Alphus 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 Alphus 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 Alphus?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Alphus on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.