Alger

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Alger

Pronounced AL-jer /ˈæl.dʒər/Medium

Meaning: Alger is an English surname descended from Old English personal names such as Aelfgar, 'elf spear', and Aethelgar, 'noble spear'. As a given name it is strongly associated with Horatio Alger Jr., the nineteenth-century author of rags-to-riches novels whose fame made the surname familiar.Medium

In 30 seconds: Alger is a surname rooted in an Old English name meaning 'elf spear', best known through author Horatio Alger. It saw faint use as a first name around 1919 (said 'AL-jer').

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningAlger is an English surname descended from Old English personal names such as Aelfgar, 'elf spear', and Aethelgar, 'noble spear'. As a given name it is strongly associated with Horatio Alger Jr., the nineteenth-century author of rags-to-riches novels whose fame made the surname familiar.

U.S. rank (2008)#12621 ↘ Falling

2008 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1919

Total births (all-time)≈ 832

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Alger comes from Old English personal names like Aelfgar, 'elf spear', which became a surname. Its use as a first name owes much to Horatio Alger Jr., whose popular rags-to-riches tales made the name a byword for self-made success.

As a given name it was always rare - a few dozen boys a year around its high point near 1919 - and it thinned steadily afterward. It reads as a literary surname-name from the turn of the century.

Did you know? The 'Horatio Alger story' became shorthand for rising from poverty to success, keeping the author's surname in the language long after his books.

Overall data confidence 60%

References - Alger — Old English Aelfgar 'elf spear'; Horatio Alger Jr.

Variations

AlgarElgarAldger

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

★Horatio Alger Jr. (1832-1899)
American author of popular rags-to-riches novels whose surname became a byword for self-made success.

If you like Alger…

Alden— a same-era surname-and-given name

Asher— a short name sharing the 'spear/blessing' family feel

Elmer— a turn-of-the-century Old English-rooted name

Sawyer— shares the -er ending

Walter— a fellow English choice

Explore names like Alger

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Alger mean?

Alger is an English surname from Old English 'Aelfgar', 'elf spear', linked to author Horatio Alger.

How do you pronounce Alger?

It's said AL-jer /ˈæl.dʒər/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Alger a boy or girl name?

Alger is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Alger?

Alger has always been rare as a first name, a literary surname tied to Horatio Alger.