The name Alfie is a diminutive form of the name Alfred.
Alfred is derived from the Old English name Aelfraed and the German name Alphonse. It is composed of the elements aelf meaning elf or supernatural being and raed meaning counsel.
Most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones after the Norman conquest in 1066, but Alfred (along with Edward) is a rare example of an Old English name that remained popular after the conquest.
The endurance of the name Alfred is thought to be due to the fact that a contemporary celebrity bore the name - Alfred the Great, the King of Wessex from 871 to 899.
The name Alfred became rare at the end of the Middle Ages, but rose in popularity again in the 19th century.
The diminutive Alfie is currently more popular than Alfred in most English speaking countries. It was the seventh most popular boys name in both England and Wales in 2012.
Famous people called Alfie:
Alfie Boe, tenor singer who played the role of Jean in the Broadway musical production of Les Miserables
Alfie Allen, actor who plays Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones
Alfie Moon, fictional character, EastEnders
Alfie, character played by Michael Caine in the eponymous film from 1966, the role was later reprised by Jude Law in the 2004 remake
Can be shortened to: Al, Alf, Fred
Surnames to avoid pairing Alfie with:
Any that you wouldn't want to put the word 'All' before. Surnames beginning with an 'E' might cause problems too, as when said aloud this combination of sounds may result in elision – when two words are slurred together to end up sounding like one.
Similar names:
Foreign variants include: Alfredo or Fredo (Italian), Alfons (Swedish), Alphonse (German), Alfreth (Icelandic) Alfredas (Lithuanian), Fredu (Maltese), Alphons (Dutch), Afonso (Spanish).
Similar English names include Alfred, Alfrid, Alan and Albie
Feminine variations:
Alfonsa, Alfonsine, Alfreda, Alfrida, Alfrieda
Celebrities who named their baby Alfie:
Gary Oldman, (filmmaker)
Keith Allen (actor)