Alan vs Antony
Alan and Antonycompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1960, Alan was ranked #37 and Antony #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1975, Alan was ranked #80 and Antony #94 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2009, Alan was ranked #133 and Antony #390 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Alan was ranked #173 and Antony #779 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Antony #968 among boys in England and Wales.
Alan and Antony over time
Alan and Antony appear together in 3 published lists, across 54 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Antony in 0.
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, and Antony 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alan and Antony changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #592 and #968.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alan #163 in 1996, Antony #158 in 1996.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Antony in 5.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Antony #158 in 1996.
The order changed in 2004: Alan moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #296 and #267; by 2004 that had become #275 and #298.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Antony #968.
New Zealand · Boys16 shared years, 1960–1975
Alan held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Antony in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alan #28 in 1960, Antony #56 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1975: Alan #80, Antony #94.
Republic of Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1975–2022
Alan held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Antony in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Antony #288 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Alan #173, Antony #779.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Alan | Antony |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #968 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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)); Antony does not have one recorded yet.
- Alan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Antony.
- A meaning is recorded for Alan; Antony doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, 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
Antony
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #74 among boys in New Zealand in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1960–1975
Highest recorded position: #56 among boys in New Zealand, in 1964 (recorded 1960–1975).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #968 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys