The first name Alpheus
A boy’s name meaning “whitish”.
Pronounced /ælˈfiːəs/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Alpheus means “whitish”.
From Ancient Greek Ἀλφειός (Alpheiós, literally “whitish”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Alpheus last appeared in the official list in 2023, given to 4 boys.
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Alpheus with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Alpheus at birth, 1880–2025
In 2024, 7 boys born in the United States were named Alpheus, the 9,951st most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1917, when 29 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Alpheus in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Alfeios
- Alphaeus
- Alpheius
Famous people named Alpheus
4 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Alpheus HyattAmerican zoologist, paleontologist (1838-1902)
- Alpheus Spring PackardAmerican entomologist, palaeontologist (1839-1905)
- Alpheus Hyatt VerrillAmerican writer and naturalist (1871-1954)
- Alpheus FelchAmerican politician (1804-1896)
Questions
- What does the name Alpheus mean?
- Alpheus means “whitish”.
- How popular is the name Alpheus?
- In 2023, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Alpheus, ranking 4,107th.
- Is Alpheus a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 770 US babies named Alpheus since 1880 were boys.
- When was Alpheus most popular?
- 1917 in the United States, when 29 babies were named Alpheus, its highest rank at 1,265th.
- How do you pronounce Alpheus?
- Alpheus is /ælˈfiːəs/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Alpheus?
- Alfeios, Alphaeus and Alpheius.