UK boy's name
Afonso
A masculine Portuguese name derived from the Germanic name "Athanaric" meaning "noble".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Afonso is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Afonso popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1595, with 16 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 18 births.
This profile covers 212 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 2004 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 89% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 211 living people in the UK are called Afonso. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Afonso ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 16 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 18 boys were registered as Afonso.
- • About 211 living people in the UK are estimated to have Afonso as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1595
2024
Births in 2024
16
Latest year
Peak year
2018
18 births
Estimated living
211
2026
Meaning
What does Afonso mean?
The name Afonso has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically from the Gothic name Alfuns, which is a compound of the elements alf meaning "elf" and gunds meaning "war" or "combat." It evolved into the Spanish and Portuguese form of Alfonso or Afonso.
The name gained widespread popularity in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, particularly among the Portuguese and Spanish royal families. One of the earliest documented uses of the name can be found in the 8th century, when Alfonso I became the first King of Asturias, a kingdom in northern Spain, in the year 739.
Afonso Henriques, born in 1109, was a significant historical figure who became the first King of Portugal in 1139 after successfully leading the struggle for independence from the Kingdom of León. His reign marked the establishment of the Portuguese monarchy and the consolidation of the country's borders.
Throughout the centuries, the name Afonso has been borne by several notable individuals, including Afonso X, also known as Alfonso the Wise, who ruled as the King of Castile and León from 1252 to 1284. He was renowned for his patronage of the arts, literature, and intellectual pursuits, as well as his contributions to the development of the Castilian language.
In the 15th century, Prince Afonso V, later known as Afonso V of Portugal, reigned as the King of Portugal from 1438 to 1481. His reign was marked by military conflicts, including the conquest of several North African territories and the Wars of the Castilian Succession.
Another prominent figure was Afonso de Albuquerque, a Portuguese explorer and military commander, born in 1453. He played a crucial role in establishing the Portuguese Empire in the Indian Ocean, capturing key strategic locations such as Goa, Malacca, and Hormuz.
While the name Afonso has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in former Portuguese and Spanish colonies, reflecting the cultural and linguistic influence of these nations throughout history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Afonso over time
The chart below shows babies named Afonso registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Afonso, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 16 births in 2024, compared with 18 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Afonso by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Afonso was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1850 | 66 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2129 | 113 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2849 | 33 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Afonso
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Afonso: questions and answers
How popular is the name Afonso in the UK right now?
In 2024, Afonso was ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales, with 16 births registered.
When was Afonso most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 18 babies registered as Afonso in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Afonso?
A masculine Portuguese name derived from the Germanic name "Athanaric" meaning "noble".
How many people are called Afonso in the UK?
A total of 212 babies have been registered as Afonso across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.