FATAL: no such database

For some reason I cannot create a database.  I use Sequel, Postico, and psql, and all three won’t create a database.
Thefirst two write the syntax for me, and they too return errors.  Here is an example in psql: 

rich=# CREATE DATABASE alpha;
CREATE DATABASE
rich=# \c alpha;
FATAL:  no such database: alpha
Previous connection kept
rich=# \l
                                List of databases
     Name     | Owner | Encoding |   Collate   |    Ctype    | Access privileges
--------------+-------+----------+-------------+-------------+-------------------
 alpha        | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           |
 postgres     | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           |
 rich         | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           |
 template0    | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           | =c/rich          +
              |       |          |             |             | rich=CTc/rich
 template1    | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           | =c/rich          +
              |       |          |             |             | rich=CTc/rich
(5 rows)

rich=# DROP DATABASE alpha;
DROP DATABASE
rich=# \l
                                List of databases
     Name     | Owner | Encoding |   Collate   |    Ctype    | Access privileges
--------------+-------+----------+-------------+-------------+-------------------
 postgres     | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           |
 rich         | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           |
 template0    | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           | =c/rich          +
              |       |          |             |             | rich=CTc/rich
 template1    | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           | =c/rich          +
              |       |          |             |             | rich=CTc/rich
(4 rows)

rich=# CREATE DATABASE alpha;
CREATE DATABASE
rich=# \l
                                List of databases
     Name     | Owner | Encoding |   Collate   |    Ctype    | Access privileges
--------------+-------+----------+-------------+-------------+-------------------
 alpha        | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           |
 postgres     | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           |
 rich         | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           |
 template0    | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           | =c/rich          +
              |       |          |             |             | rich=CTc/rich
 template1    | rich  | UTF8     | C           | C           | =c/rich          +
              |       |          |             |             | rich=CTc/rich
(5 rows)

rich=# \c alpha;
FATAL:  no such database: alpha
Previous connection kept
rich=#

I have reinstalled PostgreSQL 12 both through homebrew as well as using the Postgres.app on MacOS.  Both have the same
issue.  

Anybody have any insight into what I should try?  Thanks for your time.



Cheers, Bee