Alfred

See also: alfred, Alfréd, Alfreð, and Ælfræd

English

Etymology

From Middle English Alfred, from Old English Ælfrǣd, from ælf (“elf”) +‎ rǣd (“counsel”). Doublet of Alfredo and Avery.

The modern pronunciation with /f/ is a spelling pronunciation; the name in Old English was pronounced with [v], as shown in its Middle English descendant Alured (in which u stands for modern v).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈælfɹəd/
• (Appalachians, dated) IPA^(key): /ˈælfɚd/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Proper noun

Alfred

1. (individuals) Alfred the Great, early king of England.

   Alternative form: Ælfred

2. A male given name from Old English.
   • 1980, Graham Greene, Doctor Fisher of Geneva, or the Bomb Party (fiction), →OCLC:

     Unfortunately for me my father had combined diplomacy with a study of Anglo-Saxon history and, of course with my mother's consent, he gave me the name of Alfred, one of his heroes ( I believe she had boggled at Aelfred ). This Christian name, for some inexplicable reason, had become corrupted in the eyes of our middle-class world; it belonged exclusively now to the working class and was usually abbreviated to Alf. Perhaps that was why Doctor Fisher, the inventor of Dentophil Bouquet, never called me anything but Jones, even after I married his daughter.

   • 1998, Steven Herrick, A Place Like This (fiction), University of Queensland Press, →ISBN, page 86:

     You give a kid a name like Cameron / or Alfred, or something like that, / and they end up wearing glasses / and looking at computers for the rest of their life.

3. (rare) A surname originating as a patronymic.
4. A town, the county seat of York County, Maine, United States.
5. A town in Allegany County, New York, United States.
6. A community of Alfred and Plantagenet township, Ontario, Canada.

Derived terms

• Alf, Alfie
• Alfred and Plantagenet
• Alfredian, Ælfredian
• Alfred Nzo
• King Alfred's cake

Related terms

• Alfreda f
• Alfredo, alfredo, fettuccine Alfredo
• Avery

Descendants

Descendants

• → Danish: Alfred
• Esperanto: Alfredo
• Faroese: Alfred
• → Finnish: Alfred
• French: Alfred
• → German: Alfred
• Greek: Αλφρέδος (Alfrédos)
• Italian: Alfredo
• Norman: Alfred
• → Norwegian: Alfred
• Portuguese: Alfredo
• Spanish: Alfredo
  • Cebuano: Alfredo
  • Tagalog: Alfredo
• → Swedish: Alfred

Translations

Male given name

• Bengali: আলফ্রেড (alophreḍ)
• Catalan: Alfred (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 阿爾弗雷德／阿尔弗雷德 (zh) (Ā'ěrfúléidé), 艾爾弗／艾尔弗 (Ài'ěrfú), 艾爾弗雷德／艾尔弗雷德 (Ài'ěrfúléidé), 艾佛瑞 (Àifúruì), 亞弗列／亚弗列 (Yàfúliè)

• Danish: Alfred
• Dutch: Alfred
• Esperanto: Alfredo
• Faroese: Alfred m
• French: Alfred (fr) m
• Georgian: ალფრედი (alpredi)
• German: Alfred (de) m
• Greek: Αλφρέδος (el) m (Alfrédos)
• Icelandic: Alfreð (is)
• Irish: Ailfrid m
• Italian: Alfredo (it)
• Latin: Alfredus
• Latvian: Alfrēds m
• Norwegian: Alfred (no)
• Portuguese: Alfredo (pt)
• Russian: А́льфред (ru) m (Álʹfred), Альфре́д (ru) m (Alʹfréd), А́лфред m (Álfred)
• Slovak: Alfréd m
• Spanish: Alfredo (es) m
• Swedish: Alfred (sv)
• Welsh: Alffred m

Further reading

• Alfred (name) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Alfred the Great on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Alfred, Maine on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Alfred, New York on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Falder, fardel, fardle, farled, flared, larfed

Azerbaijani

Proper noun

Alfred

1. A transliteration of the English male given name Alfred.
   • 2004, Şəkərəliyev, A. Ş., Əliyev, Ş.T., Cavadov M. Ə., editors, Nobel Mükafatı almış iqtisadçılar və onların nəzəriyyələri‎^[1], Baku: Elm, page 5:

     Alfred Nobel 21 oktyabr 1833-cü ildə İsveçdə anadan olmuş, 8 yaşı olarkən atası Emmanuil Nobelin çalışdığı Sankt-Peterburqa köçmüşdür.

     Alfred Nobel was born in Sweden on October 21, 1833, and at the age of eight, moved to St. Petersburg, where his father, Emmanuel Nobel, was working.

   • 2006, Gylman Ilkin, Bakı və Bakılılar, page 149:

     Bu şirkətin müəssisləri üç qardaş: Lüdoviq, Robert, Alfred və bir də onların yaxın dostu […]

     The founders of this company were three brothers: Ludvig, Robert, Alfred and one of their close friends […]

   • 2019, Manaf Süleymanov, Eşitdiklərim, oxuduqlarım, gördüklərim, page 185:

     Arvadı və iki oğlu Alfred və Elmar ilə Peterburqdan vətənə qayıdır […]

     He returned home from St. Petersburg with his wife and two sons, Alfred and Elmar […]

Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from English Alfred, from Old English Ælfræd.

Proper noun

Alfred

1. a male given name

References

• [2] Danskernes Navne, based on CPR data: 21 194 males with the given name Alfred have been registered in Denmark between about 1890 (=the population alive in 1967) and January 2005, with the frequency peak in the 1900s decade. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English Alfred.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑl.frɛt/
• Hyphenation: Al‧fred

Proper noun

Alfred m

1. a male given name

Faroese

Etymology

Ultimately, from Old English Ælfræd.

Proper noun

Alfred m

1. a male given name

Usage notes

Patronymics:

• son of Alfred: Alfredsson
• daughter of Alfred: Alfredsdóttir

Declension

	Singular
	Indefinite
Nominative	Alfred
Accusative	Alfred
Dative	Alfredi
Genitive	Alfreds

Finnish

Etymology

From English Alfred, from Old English Ælfræd, possibly through Swedish Alfred.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑlfred/, [ˈɑ̝l.fre̞d]
• Rhymes: -ɑlfred
• Hyphenation^(key): Alf‧red

Proper noun

Alfred

1. a male given name
2. Alfred Nussi

Declension

Inflection of Alfred (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		Alfred	Alfredit
genitive		Alfredin	Alfredien
partitive		Alfredia	Alfredeja
illative		Alfrediin	Alfredeihin
		singular	plural
nominative		Alfred	Alfredit
accusative	nom.	Alfred	Alfredit
	gen.	Alfredin
genitive		Alfredin	Alfredien
partitive		Alfredia	Alfredeja
inessive		Alfredissa	Alfredeissa
elative		Alfredista	Alfredeista
illative		Alfrediin	Alfredeihin
adessive		Alfredilla	Alfredeilla
ablative		Alfredilta	Alfredeilta
allative		Alfredille	Alfredeille
essive		Alfredina	Alfredeina
translative		Alfrediksi	Alfredeiksi
abessive		Alfreditta	Alfredeitta
instructive		—	Alfredein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of Alfred (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Alfredini Alfredini accusative nom. Alfredini Alfredini gen. Alfredini genitive Alfredini Alfredieni partitive Alfrediani Alfredejani inessive Alfredissani Alfredeissani elative Alfredistani Alfredeistani illative Alfrediini Alfredeihini adessive Alfredillani Alfredeillani ablative Alfrediltani Alfredeiltani allative Alfredilleni Alfredeilleni essive Alfredinani Alfredeinani translative Alfredikseni Alfredeikseni abessive Alfredittani Alfredeittani instructive — — comitative — Alfredeineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Alfredisi Alfredisi accusative nom. Alfredisi Alfredisi gen. Alfredisi genitive Alfredisi Alfrediesi partitive Alfrediasi Alfredejasi inessive Alfredissasi Alfredeissasi elative Alfredistasi Alfredeistasi illative Alfrediisi Alfredeihisi adessive Alfredillasi Alfredeillasi ablative Alfrediltasi Alfredeiltasi allative Alfredillesi Alfredeillesi essive Alfredinasi Alfredeinasi translative Alfrediksesi Alfredeiksesi abessive Alfredittasi Alfredeittasi instructive — — comitative — Alfredeinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Alfredimme Alfredimme accusative nom. Alfredimme Alfredimme gen. Alfredimme genitive Alfredimme Alfrediemme partitive Alfrediamme Alfredejamme inessive Alfredissamme Alfredeissamme elative Alfredistamme Alfredeistamme illative Alfrediimme Alfredeihimme adessive Alfredillamme Alfredeillamme ablative Alfrediltamme Alfredeiltamme allative Alfredillemme Alfredeillemme essive Alfredinamme Alfredeinamme translative Alfrediksemme Alfredeiksemme abessive Alfredittamme Alfredeittamme instructive — — comitative — Alfredeinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Alfredinne Alfredinne accusative nom. Alfredinne Alfredinne gen. Alfredinne genitive Alfredinne Alfredienne partitive Alfredianne Alfredejanne inessive Alfredissanne Alfredeissanne elative Alfredistanne Alfredeistanne illative Alfrediinne Alfredeihinne adessive Alfredillanne Alfredeillanne ablative Alfrediltanne Alfredeiltanne allative Alfredillenne Alfredeillenne essive Alfredinanne Alfredeinanne translative Alfrediksenne Alfredeiksenne abessive Alfredittanne Alfredeittanne instructive — — comitative — Alfredeinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative Alfredinsa Alfredinsa accusative nom. Alfredinsa Alfredinsa gen. Alfredinsa genitive Alfredinsa Alfrediensa partitive Alfrediaan Alfrediansa Alfredejaan Alfredejansa inessive Alfredissaan Alfredissansa Alfredeissaan Alfredeissansa elative Alfredistaan Alfredistansa Alfredeistaan Alfredeistansa illative Alfrediinsa Alfredeihinsa adessive Alfredillaan Alfredillansa Alfredeillaan Alfredeillansa ablative Alfrediltaan Alfrediltansa Alfredeiltaan Alfredeiltansa allative Alfredilleen Alfredillensa Alfredeilleen Alfredeillensa essive Alfredinaan Alfredinansa Alfredeinaan Alfredeinansa translative Alfredikseen Alfrediksensa Alfredeikseen Alfredeiksensa abessive Alfredittaan Alfredittansa Alfredeittaan Alfredeittansa instructive — — comitative — Alfredeineen Alfredeinensa

Statistics

• Alfred is the 513^th most common male given name in Finland, belonging to 389 male individuals (and as a middle name to 2,583 more, making it much more common as a middle name), according to February 2023 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.

French

Etymology

From English Alfred, from Old English Ælfræd.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /al.fʁɛd/

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Alfred m

1. a male given name
   • 1862, Victor Hugo, chapter 2, in Les Misérables, Tome I : Fantine, book 4; republished as Isabel F. Hapgood, transl., 1887:

     Il n’est pas rare aujourd’hui que le garçon bouvier se nomme Arthur, Alfred ou Alphonse, et que le vicomte — s’il y a encore des vicomtes — se nomme Thomas, Pierre ou Jacques. Ce déplacement qui met le nom « élégant » sur le plébéien et le nom campagnard sur l’aristocrate n’est autre chose qu’un remous d’égalité. L’irrésistible pénétration du souffle nouveau est là comme en tout.

     It is not rare for the neatherd's boy nowadays to bear the name of Arthur, Alfred, or Alphonse, and for the vicomte--if there are still any vicomtes--to be called Thomas, Pierre, or Jacques. This displacement, which places the "elegant" name on the plebeian and the rustic name on the aristocrat, is nothing else than an eddy of equality. The irresistible penetration of the new inspiration is there as everywhere else.

German

Etymology

Borrowed from English Alfred, from Old English Ælfræd.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈalfʁeːt/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Al‧f‧red

Proper noun

Alfred

1. a male given name, popular in the 19th century

Norman

Etymology

Ultimately, from Old English Ælfræd.

Proper noun

Alfred m

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Alfred

Norwegian

Etymology

Borrowed from English Alfred, from Old English Ælfræd.

Proper noun

Alfred

1. a male given name

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from English Alfred, from Old English Ælfræd.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈal.frɛt/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alfrɛt
• Syllabification: Al‧fred

Proper noun

Alfred m pers

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Alfred

Declension

Declension of Alfred

	singular	plural
nominative	Alfred	Alfredzi/Alfredy (deprecative)
genitive	Alfreda	Alfredów
dative	Alfredowi	Alfredom
accusative	Alfreda	Alfredów
instrumental	Alfredem	Alfredami
locative	Alfredzie	Alfredach
vocative	Alfredzie	Alfredzi

Further reading

• Alfred in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from English Alfred, from Old English Ælfræd. First recorded as a Swedish given name in 1751.

Proper noun

Alfred c (genitive Alfreds)

1. a male given name, fashionable in the 19th century

Anagrams

• farled