Alfred is a name of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German elements "adal" meaning "noble" and "wald" meaning "power". The name was borne by several notable historical figures, including Alfred the Great, who was an Anglo-Saxon king of Wessex in the late 9th century. He is known for resisting the Danish invasion of England and organizing a system of local government that helped to unify the English kingdom. The name Alfred gained popularity in the Middle Ages and has been used throughout Europe ever since. Today, it remains a popular choice among parents seeking a classic yet distinctive name for their sons.
The name Alfred experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years. Starting from the late 19th century, it maintained a relatively consistent level of around 400-600 births per year until the early 20th century when it began to rise sharply, peaking at 3347 births in 1914. This trend continued through World War I, with over 4000 births annually between 1915 and 1920. However, popularity declined steadily afterwards, dropping below 500 births per year by the late 1920s. From the 1930s onwards, Alfred's popularity continued to wane, reaching an all-time low of 208 births in 2013. In recent years, it has shown a slight resurgence, with totals ranging from 245 to 288 births per year between 2017 and 2022. Overall, over the period of these statistics (1879-2022), there were a total of 243,257 recorded births named Alfred.