Alva

#5,554 for girls in 2025, 22 births · #10,695 for boys in 2025, 6 births
Given to boys 55.9% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1882 · 85 births
Debut · boys
70 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
11,269
since 1880

Alva over time

girlsboys

Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201927peak #334, 1896peak #161, 1882girlsboys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#5,55422#10,6956
2024#4,47331#8,9878
2023#5,24824#7,73810
2022#4,67129#7,76810
2021#4,60729#12,1465
2020#3,60741#7,50210
2019#4,34332#12,1455
2018#4,76828#7,61710
2017#5,82121#6,33813
2016#4,99027#7,15711
2015#6,45219#10,6446
2014#8,96612#10,7176
2013#8,13514#8,7898
2012#8,20814
2011#8,61413
2010#7,21717#10,7666
2009#9,37912
2008#8,10915#11,0376
2007#8,52014#7,59010
2006#17,1685
2005#8,33013#11,4725
2004#6,76817#7,5369
2003#6,57617#10,8945
2002#7,81613
2001#11,0208#9,2436
2000#5,93718#5,92011
1999#10,3458#5,65611
1998#6,71914#6,8438
1997#12,0706#5,64210
1996#5,53117#5,9829
1995#7,04112#4,05215
1994#7,09712#6,3728
1993#4,39323#5,00211
1992#4,52822#4,32713
1991#5,39917#6,5197
1990#3,90926#4,40712
1989#2,71441#3,44616
1988#3,16531#3,70513
1987#5,31214#4,5739
1986#4,18619#3,13115
1985#2,70435#3,40113
1984#4,47816#3,45912
1983#2,97528#2,78716
1982#3,26026#2,26922
1981#2,72333#2,77916
1980#2,60336#2,05826
1979#3,54122#2,46519
1978#2,85928#1,71831
1977#2,90927#1,85827
1976#2,66429#1,99924
1975#2,51631#1,83526
1974#2,68327#1,74727
1973#2,45530#1,35438
1972#2,45129#1,60329
1971#1,90645#1,41536
1970#1,82848#1,41635
1969#2,02338#1,07552
1968#1,64749#1,28235
1967#1,88139#1,25336
1966#1,70044#1,19439
1965#1,52853#1,12944
1964#1,51856#1,05951
1963#1,56552#1,15145
1962#1,27875#1,05652
1961#1,53354#95065
1960#1,43059#98160
1959#1,49952#92668
1958#1,24073#1,00657
1957#1,17381#99558
1956#1,11685#96959
1955#1,01098#80782
1954#1,03989#89268
1953#1,17867#88965
1952#1,04681#71497
1951#97791#85766
1950#1,01880#69597
1949#97384#649111
1948#92388#633115
1947#90995#595131
1946#93679#603114
1945#92567#558115
1944#83683#579112
1943#78897#508148
1942#80291#532131
1941#73593#586102
1940#70298#497137
1939#623117#485140
1938#687100#463156
1937#624118#452155
1936#638106#416177
1935#604116#470146
1934#604119#451155
1933#597117#442156
1932#559137#424175
1931#568135#385213
1930#631120#402208
1929#609126#369241
1928#545163#416207
1927#552164#374245
1926#570156#364259
1925#580154#388239
1924#560167#362273
1923#593149#359274
1922#534174#384246
1921#553165#351289
1920#541173#353278
1919#516174#349264
1918#483196#346273
1917#526161#294317
1916#480176#329260
1915#518146#324262
1914#507121#350178
1913#413142#307167
1912#414125#312138
1911#44683#36358
1910#44580#31761
1909#44270#26868
1908#46460#38936
1907#41274#27259
1906#42365#24664
1905#44258#26357
1904#46949#27349
1903#41458#25750
1902#42054#23460
1901#42849#22859
1900#40767#23773
1899#46739#21361
1898#41156#21567
1897#40851#20469
1896#33476#21968
1895#35761#19774
1894#39850#19476
1893#42241#20866
1892#41940#20274
1891#50626#18866
1890#42935#19468
1889#54322#20562
1888#43932#20274
1887#37832#20158
1886#47621#20664
1885#52017#24346
1884#7319#20962
1883#8176#17272
1882#50713#16185
1881#47013#17170
1880#40317#18070
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Alva was already there! It came in at #180, and was given to 70 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 2002–2003, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.

Where Alva is popular in 1927

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedMNIllinois: #344 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 5,367 boysILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedWIMichigan: #337 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 5,245 boysMINew York: #611 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 19,606 boysNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedRIOregon: #161 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,165 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedIAIndiana: #185 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 1,527 boysINOhio: #276 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 4,073 boysOHPennsylvania: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedCTCalifornia: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedUTColorado: #202 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,368 boysCONebraska: #254 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,340 boysNEMissouri: #204 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 1,616 boysMOKentucky: #375 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,801 boysKYWest Virginia: #214 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,524 boysWVVirginia: #248 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 2,311 boysVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedNMKansas: #264 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,537 boysKSArkansas: #242 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,639 boysARTennessee: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: #441 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 5,017 boysNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #156 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 919 boysOKLouisiana: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedLAMississippi: #304 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,581 boysMSAlabama: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedALGeorgia: #455 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,699 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Alva, so not publishedHITexas: #514 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 4,744 boysTXFlorida: #255 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,083 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Oklahoma#156 · 1 in 919
  2. Oregon#161 · 1 in 1,165
  3. Indiana#185 · 1 in 1,527
  4. Colorado#202 · 1 in 1,368
  5. Missouri#204 · 1 in 1,616

Best ever in a state: #54 in West Virginia, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Oklahoma#156251 in 919
Oregon#16151 in 1,165
Indiana#185171 in 1,527
Colorado#20261 in 1,368
Missouri#204181 in 1,616
West Virginia#214121 in 1,524
Arkansas#242111 in 1,639
Virginia#248101 in 2,311
Nebraska#25451 in 2,340
Florida#25571 in 2,083
Kansas#26461 in 2,537
Ohio#276131 in 4,073
Mississippi#30481 in 2,581
Michigan#33781 in 5,245
Illinois#344111 in 5,367
Kentucky#37571 in 3,801
North Carolina#44171 in 5,017
Georgia#45551 in 5,699
Texas#514121 in 4,744
New York#61151 in 19,606
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Idaho
Iowa
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Dakota
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Utah
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Alva
Momentum · boys
Falling
  • 1,708 spots since 2024 (#8,987#10,695)
  • 3,193 spots since 2020 (#7,502#10,695)
  • 51 spots since 2015 (#10,644#10,695)
  • Biggest jump: 143 spots in 1952 (#857#714)
  • Biggest drop: 175 spots in 1953 (#714#889)
Rise & fade · boys
2 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1882 at #161 (85 births)
  • Births halved by 1908, 26 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 81 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 81 yrs · run 1880–1957
Share of babies · boys
1 in 1,337
  • Highest: 1 in 1,337 boys born in 1882 were named Alva (0.07%)
  • Latest: 1 in 284,679 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 22.6% of all boys named Alva (2,551) were born in this decade
Girls or boys?
Flipped in 2000
  • Mostly boys until 1999, mostly girls since
all girlsall boys
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s663#161 (1882)#195
1890s689#188 (1891)#203
1900s575#228 (1901)#267
1910s1,978#294 (1917)#329
1920s2,551#351 (1921)#372
1930s1,681#385 (1931)#439
1940s1,216#497 (1940)#574
1950s717#695 (1950)#875
1960s479#950 (1961)#1,113
1970s292#1,354 (1973)#1,741
1980s158#2,058 (1980)#3,161
1990s104#4,052 (1995)#5,480
2000s52#5,920 (2000)#9,099
2010s65#6,338 (2017)#9,272
2020s49#7,502 (2020)#9,139

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Alva in 1927

girls
#552
164 births · 1 in 7,271 girls
boys
#374
245 births · 1 in 4,600 boys

Top girls' names in 1927

  1. #1Mary70,642
  2. #2Dorothy35,993
  3. #3Betty35,424
  4. #4Helen25,316
  5. #5Margaret21,964
  6. #6Ruth19,412
  7. #7Doris16,512
  8. #8Virginia15,734
  9. #9Shirley13,314
  10. #10Barbara13,161
  11. #552Alva164

Top boys' names in 1927

  1. #1Robert61,674
  2. #2John55,949
  3. #3James53,674
  4. #4William51,476
  5. #5Charles31,941
  6. #6Richard26,768
  7. #7George25,949
  8. #8Donald23,834
  9. #9Joseph23,503
  10. #10Edward19,115
  11. #374Alva245
More about 1927

girls

1,192,431 girls got a published name in 1927; 1 in 7,271 of them was named Alva, which outranked 90.1% of the 5,602 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Alva
  1. #549Fanny166
  2. #549Marceline166
  3. #551Rubye165
  4. #552Alva164
  5. #552Elda164
  6. #552Enid164
  7. #552Marilynn164
  8. #556Glenda162
  9. #556Lura162
  10. #556Terry162

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1926
Risers
  1. 2,708Charmaine#3,564#856
  2. 1,519Kazuko#2,474#955
  3. 1,152Valencia#2,076#924
  4. 551Cherie#1,414#863
  5. 452Lita#1,148#696
Fallers
  1. 349Janell#748#1,097
  2. 330Sabina#931#1,261
  3. 319Clarine#942#1,261
  4. 298Shirlie#980#1,278
  5. 291Delilah#836#1,127

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,126,915 boys got a published name in 1927; 1 in 4,600 of them was named Alva, which outranked 92.2% of the 4,802 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Alva
  1. #371Basil249
  2. #371Royce249
  3. #373Gabriel247
  4. #374Alva245
  5. #374Ed245
  6. #376Claud243
  7. #377Buford242
  8. #377Darwin242

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1926
Risers
  1. 1,863Lindbergh#2,436#573
  2. 966Lindy#1,353#387
  3. 601Sonny#1,565#964
  4. 467Akira#1,404#937
  5. 442Maria#1,432#990
Fallers
  1. 684Minoru#963#1,647
  2. 611Reno#825#1,436
  3. 406Hurley#916#1,322
  4. 356Adelbert#842#1,198
  5. 330Gardner#963#1,293

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1927