Alphonse

Alphonse is a masculine given name of French origin, a form of Alfonso or Alphonso. It derives from a Gothic or Latinized name and is commonly associated with meanings related to nobility; in various traditions it has been interpreted as reflecting noble status and readiness. The name has appeared in French-speaking regions since the Middle Ages and has been borne by writers, saints, and scientists.

Notable individuals with the name include Alphonse Daudet, a 19th-century French novelist and short-story writer; Alphonse Mucha, a Czech painter and designer associated with the Art Nouveau movement; Alphonse Bertillon, a French criminologist who developed the Bertillon system of anthropometric identification; Alphonse de Lamartine, a French poet, writer, and statesman; and Alphonse Allais, a French humorist and writer.

The name also appears in religious and popular culture. Saint Alphonsus Liguori, an Italian cardinal and founder of the Redemptorists, is known in French as Saint Alphonse. In contemporary fiction, Alphonse Elric is a central character in the manga and anime series Fullmetal Alchemist.

Alphonse is used in geography as well, notably in Alphonse Island, a private island and resort in the Seychelles. The name remains in use in various forms across French-speaking communities and has been adopted in several other languages with local spellings.