Meaning & origin
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1903. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Alder through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,431
- 1,363 boys · 68 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 139 babies
- 2025
- 139
- #1,402 for boys · #10,140 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +58%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 130 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,402 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 61.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 9 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Washington had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (20). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 901 as a first name in 2020; 3,672 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Alder’s family of names
Alder has a surname derivative in ALDERSON. In English usage, Alder as a surname has a related form in OLDER. In English usage, Alder as a surname has a related form in OLDER.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Alder, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Salter
“player of psaltery”
>99% boys
Foster
“a forest ranger”
93% boys · 7% girls
Baker
“one who bakes”
91% boys · 9% girls
Walker
“walker of the forests” · “one who trods the cloth”
97% boys · 3% girls
Colter
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Ellis
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73% boys · 27% girls
Ace
“one who excels; number one; the best”
99% boys · 1% girls
Power
“poor”
85% boys · 15% girls