Alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian, historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In four-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by either low women's or high men's voices. In vocal classification these are usually called contralto and male alto or countertenor.
Meaning & Origin of Alto
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian, historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In four-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by either low women's or high men's voices. In vocal classification these are usually called contralto and male alto or countertenor.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Alto
As a girl name
Alto first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1911, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1924, when 10 Altos were born — ranking #3,144 that year. As of 2026, Alto ranks #4,306 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 31 Altos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Alto first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1881, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1919, when 20 Altos were born — ranking #1,695 that year. As of 2026, Alto ranks #8,237 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 561 Altos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Alto
Phonetically similar names — useful when Alto is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Alto
What does the name Alto mean?
How popular is Alto in 2026?
When was Alto most popular?
In which U.S. states is Alto most popular?
Is Alto a unisex name?
What names go well with Alto?
About the name Alto
Alto is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 561 births in the dataset. Alto's peak popularity came in 1919 when it ranked #1,695. Use the chart and map above to compare Alto's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1919 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.