NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Alper

A Turkish masculine name derived from Alp, meaning "brave" or "courageous".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Alper is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Alper popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 7 births.

This profile covers 85 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 1997 to 2021. 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 84 living people in the UK are called Alper. 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 2022 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Alper ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2017, when 7 boys were registered as Alper.
  • About 84 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alper as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4789

2021

Births in 2021

3

Latest year

Peak year

2017

7 births

Estimated living

84

2026

Meaning

What does Alper mean?

The name Alper is of Turkish origin, derived from the Turkish word "alp" which means "brave" or "hero." The name can be traced back to the ancient Turkic peoples who inhabited Central Asia and parts of modern-day Turkey. It was widely used among the nomadic tribes and warriors of the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alper can be found in the Dede Korkut stories, a collection of epic stories and legends from the Oghuz Turks, dating back to the 9th or 10th century. These stories often featured heroes and warriors with names like Alp Er Tunga and Alp Er Tonga, which are variations of the name Alper.

During the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over much of the Middle East and parts of Europe from the 14th to the early 20th century, the name Alper was popular among the ruling class and military elite. It was seen as a strong and virtuous name, embodying the qualities of bravery and heroism that were highly valued in Ottoman society.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Alper was Alper Bey, a Turkish military commander who lived in the 14th century and played a significant role in the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. Another notable figure was Alper Çavuş, a Turkish outlaw and rebel who lived in the 16th century and became a folk hero for his defiance against the Ottoman authorities.

In more recent history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Alper, including Alper İzmettin (1888-1964), a Turkish writer and journalist, and Alper Dinçer (1927-2000), a renowned Turkish actor and director. Alper Kanca (born 1940) is a well-known Turkish poet and translator, while Alper Pamukçu (born 1951) is a celebrated Turkish football player and manager.

Alper Çağlar (born 1963) is a Turkish businessman and entrepreneur, best known for his involvement in the telecommunications industry. Alper Potuk (born 1983) is a professional basketball player who has played for several teams in the Turkish Basketball Super League.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Alper over time

The chart below shows babies named Alper registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Alper, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Alper
02457199720092021

Decades

Alper by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alper 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 #4699 6 2
2010s #3917 43 10
2000s #3585 29 9
1990s #2639 7 2

Related

Names similar to Alper

FAQ

Alper: questions and answers

How popular is the name Alper in the UK right now?

In 2021, Alper was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Alper most popular?

The peak year on record was 2017, with 7 babies registered as Alper in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Alper?

A Turkish masculine name derived from Alp, meaning "brave" or "courageous".

How many people are called Alper in the UK?

A total of 85 babies have been registered as Alper across the 23 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.