Aiden vs Alan

Aiden 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.

Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Aiden was ranked #135 and Alan #352 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Aiden was ranked #145 and Alan #592 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Aiden was ranked #149 and Alan #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Aiden was ranked #221 and Alan #348 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Aiden was ranked #301 and Alan #274 among boys in Norway.

Aiden and Alan over time

Aiden and Alan appear together in 4 published lists, across 138 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Aiden in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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 3 of those lists, Aiden 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.

One moved ahead of the other
In 2022, Aiden moved ahead of Alan in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #239 and #186 the year before became #157 and #173.
Repeatedly exchanged positions
Aiden and Alan changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2023, ending at #221 and #348.
Longest-running competitions
Aiden and Alan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #149 and #232.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Aiden #212 in 2017, Alan #184 in 2015.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Aiden held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Alan in 56.
Highest recorded here: Aiden #92 in 1968, Alan #9 in 1975.
The order changed in 2022: Aiden moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #239 and #186; by 2022 that had become #157 and #173.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aiden #149, Alan #232.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Aiden held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Alan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aiden #61 in 2011, Alan #163 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aiden #145, Alan #592.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2023
Aiden held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Alan in 19.
Highest recorded here: Aiden #149 in 2011, Alan #107 in 1999.
The order changed in 2022: Aiden moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #326 and #266; by 2022 that had become #285 and #352.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Aiden #221, Alan #348.
Norway · Boys21 shared years, 1992–2025
Aiden held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Alan in 16.
Highest recorded here: Aiden #212 in 2017, Alan #184 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aiden #301, Alan #274.

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 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
Alan vs Noel
Alan and Noel 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 · Noel · 74 shared years, 1952–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aiden, Alan
Field	Aiden	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	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #149 (2025)	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)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

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

How each name got here

Aiden

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #94 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2024
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2010 (recorded 1999–2024).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #301 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