Alan vs Cailean

Alan and Caileancompared 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, Alan was ranked #76 and Cailean #711 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Alan was ranked #352 and Cailean #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Cailean #478 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Cailean #4270 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Cailean over time

Alan and Cailean appear together in 3 published lists, across 32 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cailean in 0.

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

Alan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Cailean 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.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys14 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Cailean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Cailean #1850 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Cailean #4270.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1998–2022
Alan held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Cailean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #107 in 1999, Cailean #243 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Alan #352, Cailean #414.
Republic of Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1993–2013
Alan held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Cailean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #28 in 1993, Cailean #275 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Alan #76, Cailean #711.

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, Cailean
Field	Alan	Cailean
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	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	Scotland · Boys #478 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	82/100
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)); Cailean does not have one recorded yet.
Alan and Cailean both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Cailean doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

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

Cailean

Popularity journey

First recorded1993
First recorded at #275 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1993 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1998–2022
Highest recorded position: #243 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1998–2022).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4270 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys