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Home › Baby Names Directory › Alpha

Alpha

♂ Boy

Pronounced AL-fuh /ˈæl.fə/Medium

Meaning: From the Greek letter alpha 'first, beginning', from Phoenician alephMedium

In 30 seconds: Alpha is a Greek boy's name from the first letter of the Greek alphabet, meaning 'first' or 'beginning', and tracing back to the Phoenician aleph.
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Origin MediumGreek, African
MeaningFrom the Greek letter alpha 'first, beginning', from Phoenician aleph
U.S. rank (2025)#2079 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births71 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2024
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,856

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202418802025

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

Alpha takes its meaning straight from the Greek alphabet, where it is the opening letter and stands for 'first' or 'beginning'. Its deeper root is the Phoenician aleph, the letter that fed into both Greek and Hebrew writing systems. As a given name it wears that sense of being foremost openly.

Short, two-beat, and instantly recognizable, Alpha carries connotations of primacy and starting points wherever it goes. The link back to Phoenician aleph ties it to the very origins of the alphabet.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Alpha is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Alpha — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Alpha Blondy (1953-)
    Ivorian reggae singer and international recording artist
  • ★Alpha Condé (1938-)
    former President of Guinea

If you like Alpha…

Ace— Shares Alpha's sense of being first or foremost.
Sasha— shares the -ha ending
Aero— a similarly popular pick
Bishop— another Greek name
Cedar— a fellow Greek choice

Explore names like Alpha

By themeenglish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Alpha mean?

Alpha is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Alpha?

It's commonly said AL-fuh /ˈæl.fə/.

Is Alpha a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Alpha is used as a boy name.

How popular is Alpha?

In 2024, Alpha ranked #2039 in the U.S. for boys, with 74 births recorded.

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