Given name
Alpheus
“one who succeeds another”
Alpheus is used as a given name. One Hebrew interpretation is “one who succeeds another.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hebrew interpretation is “one who succeeds another.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
In English usage, Alpheus developed from Ἀλφειός.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Alpheus through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 770
- 770 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1917
- 29 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 7 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 29 in 1917. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 298 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Alpheus’s family of names
In English usage, Alpheus developed from the Ancient Greek form Ἀλφειός. Alpheus has a related form in Alfaeus. In English usage, Alpheus has a conventional equivalent in the Italian form Alfeo.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Alpheus has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
5 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Alpheus
- Alpheus HyattAmerican zoologist, paleontologist (1838-1902)
- Alpheus Spring PackardAmerican entomologist, palaeontologist (1839-1905)
- Alpheus Hyatt VerrillAmerican writer (1871-1954)
- Alpheus FelchAmerican politician (1804-1896)
- Alpheus S. WilliamsUnion Army general, politician (1810-1878)
- Alpheus BakerConfederate Army general (1828–1891)
- Alpheus P. HodgesAmerican politician1821–1858
- Alpheus BabcockAmerican piano maker1785–1842
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Alpheus, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Alvah
“rising”
96% boys · 4% girls
Agee
“fugitive”
>99% boys
Abe
“father of a multitude; father of nations” · “father of a multitude (of nations)”
>99% boys
Beno
“his son”
>99% boys
Enos
“mankind” · “a man”
>99% boys
Pincus
Pincus is a surname from Hebrew.
>99% boys
Amos
“borne by God” · “to carry; hardworking”
>99% boys
Cephas
“as solid as a rock”
>99% boys