Aaran vs Alan

Aaran and Alancompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2013, Aaran was ranked #711 and Alan #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Aaran was ranked #1951 and Alan #592 among boys in England and Wales.

Aaran and Alan over time

Aaran and Alan appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Aaran in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Alan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Aaran in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Aaran #528 in 1997, Alan #163 in 1996.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Aaran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Alan in 29.
Highest recorded here: Aaran #528 in 1997, Alan #163 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aaran #1951, Alan #592.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Alan

Pairs where Alan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Gregory vs Alan
Gregory and Alan both fell over the same years in 3 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Gregory · Alan · 72 shared years, 1952–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Alan vs Ian
Alan and Ian both fell over the same years in 3 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Alan · Ian · 74 shared years, 1952–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Alan vs Keith
Alan and Keith both fell over the same years in 3 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Alan · Keith · 71 shared years, 1952–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Kevin vs Alan
Kevin and Alan both fell over the same years in 3 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Kevin · Alan · 74 shared years, 1952–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aaran, Alan
Field	Aaran	Alan
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Exact meaning uncertain — possibly Brythonic for 'little rock', or from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th-5th centuries. Used in Brittany from at least the 6th century, brought to England by Breton settlers after the Norman Conquest.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal)
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈæl.ən/
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, IE	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Boys #1951 (2024)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	60/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Alan has a recorded origin (Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal)); Aaran does not have one recorded yet.
Aaran and Alan both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Aaran doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.

How each name got here

Aaran

Popularity journey

First recorded1992
First recorded at #337 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1992 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1992–2013
Highest recorded position: #330 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1999 (recorded 1992–2013).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1951 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys

Alan

Popularity journey

First recorded1946
First recorded at #253 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #9 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #274 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys