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
- Peak · boys
- 1882 · 85 births
- Debut · boys
- 70 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 11,269since 1880
Alva over time
girlsboys
Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.
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
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #5,554 | 22 | #10,695 | 6 |
| 2024 | #4,473 | 31 | #8,987 | 8 |
| 2023 | #5,248 | 24 | #7,738 | 10 |
| 2022 | #4,671 | 29 | #7,768 | 10 |
| 2021 | #4,607 | 29 | #12,146 | 5 |
| 2020 | #3,607 | 41 | #7,502 | 10 |
| 2019 | #4,343 | 32 | #12,145 | 5 |
| 2018 | #4,768 | 28 | #7,617 | 10 |
| 2017 | #5,821 | 21 | #6,338 | 13 |
| 2016 | #4,990 | 27 | #7,157 | 11 |
| 2015 | #6,452 | 19 | #10,644 | 6 |
| 2014 | #8,966 | 12 | #10,717 | 6 |
| 2013 | #8,135 | 14 | #8,789 | 8 |
| 2012 | #8,208 | 14 | — | |
| 2011 | #8,614 | 13 | — | |
| 2010 | #7,217 | 17 | #10,766 | 6 |
| 2009 | #9,379 | 12 | — | |
| 2008 | #8,109 | 15 | #11,037 | 6 |
| 2007 | #8,520 | 14 | #7,590 | 10 |
| 2006 | #17,168 | 5 | — | |
| 2005 | #8,330 | 13 | #11,472 | 5 |
| 2004 | #6,768 | 17 | #7,536 | 9 |
| 2003 | #6,576 | 17 | #10,894 | 5 |
| 2002 | #7,816 | 13 | — | |
| 2001 | #11,020 | 8 | #9,243 | 6 |
| 2000 | #5,937 | 18 | #5,920 | 11 |
| 1999 | #10,345 | 8 | #5,656 | 11 |
| 1998 | #6,719 | 14 | #6,843 | 8 |
| 1997 | #12,070 | 6 | #5,642 | 10 |
| 1996 | #5,531 | 17 | #5,982 | 9 |
| 1995 | #7,041 | 12 | #4,052 | 15 |
| 1994 | #7,097 | 12 | #6,372 | 8 |
| 1993 | #4,393 | 23 | #5,002 | 11 |
| 1992 | #4,528 | 22 | #4,327 | 13 |
| 1991 | #5,399 | 17 | #6,519 | 7 |
| 1990 | #3,909 | 26 | #4,407 | 12 |
| 1989 | #2,714 | 41 | #3,446 | 16 |
| 1988 | #3,165 | 31 | #3,705 | 13 |
| 1987 | #5,312 | 14 | #4,573 | 9 |
| 1986 | #4,186 | 19 | #3,131 | 15 |
| 1985 | #2,704 | 35 | #3,401 | 13 |
| 1984 | #4,478 | 16 | #3,459 | 12 |
| 1983 | #2,975 | 28 | #2,787 | 16 |
| 1982 | #3,260 | 26 | #2,269 | 22 |
| 1981 | #2,723 | 33 | #2,779 | 16 |
| 1980 | #2,603 | 36 | #2,058 | 26 |
| 1979 | #3,541 | 22 | #2,465 | 19 |
| 1978 | #2,859 | 28 | #1,718 | 31 |
| 1977 | #2,909 | 27 | #1,858 | 27 |
| 1976 | #2,664 | 29 | #1,999 | 24 |
| 1975 | #2,516 | 31 | #1,835 | 26 |
| 1974 | #2,683 | 27 | #1,747 | 27 |
| 1973 | #2,455 | 30 | #1,354 | 38 |
| 1972 | #2,451 | 29 | #1,603 | 29 |
| 1971 | #1,906 | 45 | #1,415 | 36 |
| 1970 | #1,828 | 48 | #1,416 | 35 |
| 1969 | #2,023 | 38 | #1,075 | 52 |
| 1968 | #1,647 | 49 | #1,282 | 35 |
| 1967 | #1,881 | 39 | #1,253 | 36 |
| 1966 | #1,700 | 44 | #1,194 | 39 |
| 1965 | #1,528 | 53 | #1,129 | 44 |
| 1964 | #1,518 | 56 | #1,059 | 51 |
| 1963 | #1,565 | 52 | #1,151 | 45 |
| 1962 | #1,278 | 75 | #1,056 | 52 |
| 1961 | #1,533 | 54 | #950 | 65 |
| 1960 | #1,430 | 59 | #981 | 60 |
| 1959 | #1,499 | 52 | #926 | 68 |
| 1958 | #1,240 | 73 | #1,006 | 57 |
| 1957 | #1,173 | 81 | #995 | 58 |
| 1956 | #1,116 | 85 | #969 | 59 |
| 1955 | #1,010 | 98 | #807 | 82 |
| 1954 | #1,039 | 89 | #892 | 68 |
| 1953 | #1,178 | 67 | #889 | 65 |
| 1952 | #1,046 | 81 | #714 | 97 |
| 1951 | #977 | 91 | #857 | 66 |
| 1950 | #1,018 | 80 | #695 | 97 |
| 1949 | #973 | 84 | #649 | 111 |
| 1948 | #923 | 88 | #633 | 115 |
| 1947 | #909 | 95 | #595 | 131 |
| 1946 | #936 | 79 | #603 | 114 |
| 1945 | #925 | 67 | #558 | 115 |
| 1944 | #836 | 83 | #579 | 112 |
| 1943 | #788 | 97 | #508 | 148 |
| 1942 | #802 | 91 | #532 | 131 |
| 1941 | #735 | 93 | #586 | 102 |
| 1940 | #702 | 98 | #497 | 137 |
| 1939 | #623 | 117 | #485 | 140 |
| 1938 | #687 | 100 | #463 | 156 |
| 1937 | #624 | 118 | #452 | 155 |
| 1936 | #638 | 106 | #416 | 177 |
| 1935 | #604 | 116 | #470 | 146 |
| 1934 | #604 | 119 | #451 | 155 |
| 1933 | #597 | 117 | #442 | 156 |
| 1932 | #559 | 137 | #424 | 175 |
| 1931 | #568 | 135 | #385 | 213 |
| 1930 | #631 | 120 | #402 | 208 |
| 1929 | #609 | 126 | #369 | 241 |
| 1928 | #545 | 163 | #416 | 207 |
| 1927 | #552 | 164 | #374 | 245 |
| 1926 | #570 | 156 | #364 | 259 |
| 1925 | #580 | 154 | #388 | 239 |
| 1924 | #560 | 167 | #362 | 273 |
| 1923 | #593 | 149 | #359 | 274 |
| 1922 | #534 | 174 | #384 | 246 |
| 1921 | #553 | 165 | #351 | 289 |
| 1920 | #541 | 173 | #353 | 278 |
| 1919 | #516 | 174 | #349 | 264 |
| 1918 | #483 | 196 | #346 | 273 |
| 1917 | #526 | 161 | #294 | 317 |
| 1916 | #480 | 176 | #329 | 260 |
| 1915 | #518 | 146 | #324 | 262 |
| 1914 | #507 | 121 | #350 | 178 |
| 1913 | #413 | 142 | #307 | 167 |
| 1912 | #414 | 125 | #312 | 138 |
| 1911 | #446 | 83 | #363 | 58 |
| 1910 | #445 | 80 | #317 | 61 |
| 1909 | #442 | 70 | #268 | 68 |
| 1908 | #464 | 60 | #389 | 36 |
| 1907 | #412 | 74 | #272 | 59 |
| 1906 | #423 | 65 | #246 | 64 |
| 1905 | #442 | 58 | #263 | 57 |
| 1904 | #469 | 49 | #273 | 49 |
| 1903 | #414 | 58 | #257 | 50 |
| 1902 | #420 | 54 | #234 | 60 |
| 1901 | #428 | 49 | #228 | 59 |
| 1900 | #407 | 67 | #237 | 73 |
| 1899 | #467 | 39 | #213 | 61 |
| 1898 | #411 | 56 | #215 | 67 |
| 1897 | #408 | 51 | #204 | 69 |
| 1896 | #334 | 76 | #219 | 68 |
| 1895 | #357 | 61 | #197 | 74 |
| 1894 | #398 | 50 | #194 | 76 |
| 1893 | #422 | 41 | #208 | 66 |
| 1892 | #419 | 40 | #202 | 74 |
| 1891 | #506 | 26 | #188 | 66 |
| 1890 | #429 | 35 | #194 | 68 |
| 1889 | #543 | 22 | #205 | 62 |
| 1888 | #439 | 32 | #202 | 74 |
| 1887 | #378 | 32 | #201 | 58 |
| 1886 | #476 | 21 | #206 | 64 |
| 1885 | #520 | 17 | #243 | 46 |
| 1884 | #731 | 9 | #209 | 62 |
| 1883 | #817 | 6 | #172 | 72 |
| 1882 | #507 | 13 | #161 | 85 |
| 1881 | #470 | 13 | #171 | 70 |
| 1880 | #403 | 17 | #180 | 70 |
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 1926
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- Kansas#161 · 1 in 1,010
- West Virginia#171 · 1 in 1,170
- Missouri#190 · 1 in 1,475
- Indiana#191 · 1 in 1,723
- Arkansas#215 · 1 in 1,408
Best ever in a state: #54 in West Virginia, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | #161 | 15 | 1 in 1,010 |
| West Virginia | #171 | 15 | 1 in 1,170 |
| Missouri | #190 | 20 | 1 in 1,475 |
| Indiana | #191 | 15 | 1 in 1,723 |
| Arkansas | #215 | 13 | 1 in 1,408 |
| Oklahoma | #223 | 15 | 1 in 1,510 |
| Ohio | #232 | 20 | 1 in 2,633 |
| Nebraska | #259 | 5 | 1 in 2,335 |
| South Carolina | #263 | 8 | 1 in 2,291 |
| Alabama | #280 | 12 | 1 in 2,293 |
| Florida | #287 | 6 | 1 in 2,544 |
| Illinois | #309 | 13 | 1 in 4,457 |
| Iowa | #310 | 5 | 1 in 3,989 |
| Michigan | #312 | 9 | 1 in 4,548 |
| Kentucky | #317 | 9 | 1 in 2,839 |
| Georgia | #408 | 6 | 1 in 4,505 |
| California | #409 | 7 | 1 in 5,254 |
| Texas | #443 | 15 | 1 in 3,664 |
| Pennsylvania | #454 | 7 | 1 in 12,465 |
| North Carolina | #474 | 6 | 1 in 5,663 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| New York | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| 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
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 663 | #161 (1882) | #195 |
| 1890s | 689 | #188 (1891) | #203 |
| 1900s | 575 | #228 (1901) | #267 |
| 1910s | 1,978 | #294 (1917) | #329 |
| 1920s | 2,551 | #351 (1921) | #372 |
| 1930s | 1,681 | #385 (1931) | #439 |
| 1940s | 1,216 | #497 (1940) | #574 |
| 1950s | 717 | #695 (1950) | #875 |
| 1960s | 479 | #950 (1961) | #1,113 |
| 1970s | 292 | #1,354 (1973) | #1,741 |
| 1980s | 158 | #2,058 (1980) | #3,161 |
| 1990s | 104 | #4,052 (1995) | #5,480 |
| 2000s | 52 | #5,920 (2000) | #9,099 |
| 2010s | 65 | #6,338 (2017) | #9,272 |
| 2020s | 49 | #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 1926
girls
#570
156 births · 1 in 7,599 girls
boys
#364
259 births · 1 in 4,288 boys
Top girls' names in 1926
Top boys' names in 1926
More about 1926
girls
1,185,401 girls got a published name in 1926; 1 in 7,599 of them was named Alva, which outranked 89.9% of the 5,622 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Alva
- #565Justine159
- #568Socorro158
- #569Myrna157
- #570Alva156
- #570Vida156
- #572Rae155
- #573Lauretta154
- #573Lettie154
Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Biggest movers since 1925
Risers
- ↑ 1,047Janell#1,795 → #748
- ↑ 389Madalyn#1,225 → #836
- ↑ 382Evangelina#1,324 → #942
- ↑ 379Carla#1,252 → #873
- ↑ 351Vilma#1,020 → #669
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,110,505 boys got a published name in 1926; 1 in 4,288 of them was named Alva, which outranked 92.5% of the 4,837 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Biggest movers since 1925
Risers
Fallers
- ↓ 531Okey#984 → #1,515
- ↓ 459Florentino#973 → #1,432
- ↓ 407Rexford#924 → #1,331
- ↓ 380Marshal#973 → #1,353
- ↓ 378Coolidge#746 → #1,124
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.