Abdullah vs Alan

Abdullah 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.

England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Abdullah was ranked #147 and Alan #592 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2001, Abdullah was ranked #243 and Alan #151 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Abdullah was ranked #272 and Alan #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Abdullah was ranked #246 and Alan #352 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Abdullah was ranked #308 and Alan #274 among boys in Norway.

Abdullah and Alan over time

Abdullah and Alan appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Abdullah held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alan in 1.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Alan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Abdullah in 1. 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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Abdullah and Alan changed places 26 times in Norway · Boys between 1954 and 2025, ending at #308 and #274.
Longest-running competitions
Abdullah and Alan were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 64 years, from 1954 to 2025, ending at #308 and #274.

List by list

Norway · Boys64 shared years, 1954–2025
Abdullah held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Alan in 29.
Highest recorded here: Abdullah #186 in 1999, Alan #184 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abdullah #308, Alan #274.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Abdullah held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Alan in 3.
Highest recorded here: Abdullah #146 in 2015, Alan #163 in 1996.
The order changed in 1999: Abdullah moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #293 and #196; by 1999 that had become #218 and #232.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abdullah #147, Alan #592.
Republic of Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2025
Abdullah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Alan in 27.
Highest recorded here: Abdullah #272 in 2025, Alan #35 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abdullah #272, Alan #232.

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 Abdullah, Alan
Field	Abdullah	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	3	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #272 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	76/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Alan has a recorded origin (Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal)); Abdullah does not have one recorded yet.
Abdullah has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Alan.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Abdullah doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Abdullah

Popularity journey

First recorded1954
First recorded at #403 among boys in Norway in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #146 among boys in England and Wales, in 2015 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #308 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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