Alan vs Allan

Alan and Allancompared 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.

New Zealand · Boys
In 1977, Alan was ranked #90 and Allan #87 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1983, Alan was ranked #100 and Allan #93 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 1998, Alan was ranked #117 and Allan #207 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Alan was ranked #129 and Allan #646 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alan was ranked #274 and Allan #418 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Allan #1951 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Allan over time

Alan and Allan appear together in 5 published lists, across 178 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Allan 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.

Allan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Alan 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 1980, Allan moved ahead of Alan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #88 and #93 the year before became #93 and #92.
Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alan and Allan changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1983, ending at #100 and #93.
Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alan and Allan averaged 6.8 places apart, ending at #100 and #93.
Longest-running competitions
Alan and Allan were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 54 years, from 1947 to 2025, ending at #274 and #418.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alan #163 in 1996, Allan #489 in 1996.

List by list

Norway · Boys54 shared years, 1947–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Allan in 31.
Highest recorded here: Alan #209 in 2010, Allan #221 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #274, Allan #418.
Republic of Ireland · Boys46 shared years, 1964–2019
Alan held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Allan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Allan #121 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Alan #129, Allan #646.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Allan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Allan #489 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Allan #1951.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys29 shared years, 1952–1983
Alan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Allan in 6.
Highest recorded here: Alan #27 in 1953, Allan #31 in 1952.
The order changed in 1980: Allan moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #88 and #93; by 1980 that had become #93 and #92.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Alan #100, Allan #93.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1954–1977
Alan held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Allan in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alan #15 in 1954, Allan #32 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1977: Alan #90, Allan #87.

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 Alan, Allan
Field	Alan	Allan
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	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.	Not yet recorded
Origin	Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal)	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˈæl.ən/	Not yet recorded
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, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	Norway · Boys #418 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	94/100
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)); Allan does not have one recorded yet.
Alan and Allan both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Allan doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

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

Allan

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #323 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1985
Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1985).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #418 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys