Alfred

Alfred comes from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf, meaning elf, and ræd, meaning counsel, giving an overall sense of wise counsel from the elves or supernatural wisdom. The name was borne most famously by Alfred the Great, the ninth-century Anglo-Saxon king of Wessex who defended England against Viking invasions and promoted literacy and learning, which helped keep the name prominent through the medieval period and into the modern era. It was revived broadly across Europe during the nineteenth century, partly through the fame of figures such as the Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prizes. Related forms include the medieval Latin Alfredus, the feminine variant Alfreda, and the contracted nickname Fred.