Alton
Boy name · #1602 in 2025 · Very rare
Alton ranks #1602 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 106 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1239, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 16,981 boys born in 2025 was named Alton.
Babies named Alton per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Alton first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 14 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1937, when 836 boys were named Alton — good for #173 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alton against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alton in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alton is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Alton will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Alton is most common
State-level data for Alton is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Alton
Statistically, parents drawn to Alton tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Anton, Milton, Myron, Elton, and Walton.
AntonMiltonMyronEltonWaltonMarlinEldonAllan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alton | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 106 | #1602 |
| 2024 | 110 | #1573 |
| 2023 | 101 | #1681 |
| 2022 | 86 | #1852 |
| 2021 | 137 | #1349 |
| 2020 | 92 | #1694 |
| 2019 | 134 | #1340 |
| 2018 | 132 | #1352 |
| 2017 | 133 | #1341 |
| 2016 | 148 | #1248 |
| 2015 | 147 | #1239 |
| 2014 | 162 | #1163 |
| 2013 | 152 | #1180 |
| 2012 | 166 | #1111 |
| 2011 | 131 | #1305 |
| 2010 | 122 | #1376 |
| 2009 | 150 | #1202 |
| 2008 | 162 | #1129 |
| 2007 | 165 | #1102 |
| 2006 | 148 | #1144 |
| 2005 | 135 | #1182 |
| 2004 | 147 | #1080 |
| 2003 | 156 | #1012 |
| 2002 | 156 | #998 |
| 2001 | 111 | #1208 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Alton a popular boy name?
Alton ranked #1602 among boys in 2025 with 106 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1239.
When was the name Alton most popular?
Alton peaked in 1937, when 836 American boys received the name (ranked #173 that year). Since 1937 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Alton?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 16,981 newborn American boys was named Alton. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.