Alpha Symbol (α) — How to Type, Copy & Paste the Greek Letter

Copy the Alpha Symbol

Here are both forms of the alpha symbol ready for you to copy and paste:

Α — Capital Alpha (U+0391) — Copy this: Α

α — Lowercase Alpha (U+03B1) — Copy this: α

Capital Alpha — Unicode: U+0391 | HTML entity: Α | CSS: \0391

Lowercase Alpha — Unicode: U+03B1 | HTML entity: α | CSS: \03B1

What Does the Alpha Symbol Mean?

Alpha (Α / α) is the very first letter of the Greek alphabet. It originated from the Phoenician letter aleph, which also gave rise to the Hebrew aleph and the Latin "A." In the Greek numeral system, alpha has a value of 1.

As the first letter, alpha has come to symbolize beginnings, leadership, and primacy. When someone is called the "alpha" of a group, it means they are the leader. In common usage, "alpha" is synonymous with being first, dominant, or the starting point.

How to Type the Alpha Symbol on Windows

Several methods are available on a Windows PC:

• Alt Code (Capital): Hold Alt and type 9 1 3 on the numeric keypad for Α.
• Alt Code (Lowercase): Hold Alt and type 9 4 5 on the numeric keypad for α.
• Character Map: Press Win + R, type charmap, search for "Alpha," and copy it.
• Microsoft Word: Type 0391 and press Alt + X for capital, or 03B1 and Alt + X for lowercase.

How to Type Alpha on Mac

• Character Viewer: Press Ctrl + Cmd + Space, search for "alpha," and double-click to insert.
• Greek Keyboard: Add the Greek keyboard (System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources), switch to it, and press the "a" key for α.
• Copy and Paste: Grab Α or α from this page — the fastest method for occasional use.

How to Type Alpha on iPhone and Android

• iPhone: Add the Greek keyboard (Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard > Greek). Switch keyboards and tap the alpha key.
• Android: Install a Greek keyboard from the Play Store or use the copy-paste method from this page.

Alpha in Finance

The alpha symbol has a specific and widely used meaning in the world of finance:

• Alpha Returns (α): In investing, alpha measures the excess return of an investment relative to the return of a benchmark index. If a mutual fund returns 12% while the S&P 500 returns 10%, the fund's alpha is +2%. A positive alpha means the manager outperformed the market; a negative alpha means they underperformed.
• Alpha Generation: The process of actively seeking returns above a benchmark. Hedge funds and active portfolio managers describe their skill as "generating alpha."
• Jensen's Alpha: A risk-adjusted performance measure that accounts for the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). It isolates the portion of returns not explained by market risk.

Alpha in Physics

• Angular Acceleration (α): In rotational mechanics, alpha represents angular acceleration — how quickly an object's rotation speeds up or slows down.
• Alpha Particles: A type of ionizing radiation consisting of two protons and two neutrons (essentially a helium nucleus). Discovered by Ernest Rutherford in 1899.
• Fine-Structure Constant: Often denoted as α, this fundamental physical constant (approximately 1/137) governs the strength of electromagnetic interactions.
• Thermal Diffusivity: In heat transfer, α represents thermal diffusivity — how quickly temperature changes propagate through a material.

Alpha in Mathematics

• Angle Notation: In geometry, α is commonly used as the name for the first angle in a problem or proof.
• Significance Level: In statistics, α represents the significance level of a hypothesis test (commonly set at 0.05 or 0.01).
• Cronbach's Alpha: A measure of internal consistency or reliability of a set of items in a survey or test.

Alpha in Popular Culture

• Alpha Male: The term "alpha" is widely used to describe a dominant or leading individual in a social group, borrowed from animal behavior studies.
• Software Releases: "Alpha" refers to the first testing phase of software, before beta. Alpha software is typically internal, unstable, and feature-incomplete.
• Star Designation: The brightest star in a constellation is designated α (e.g., Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in Centaurus).

Quick Reference Table

From Wall Street to quantum physics to software development, the alpha symbol is one of the most versatile and widely used Greek letters. Bookmark this page to quickly copy Α and α whenever you need them.