Namewise

Alan vs Davin

Alan and Davincompared 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 2025, Alan was ranked #232 and Davin #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2021, Alan was ranked #266 and Davin #374 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Davin #2921 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Davin over time

Alan and Davin appear together in 3 published lists, across 69 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Davin 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 3 of those lists, and Davin 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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alan and Davin were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 41 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #232 and #829.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 19702025

    Alan held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Davin in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1980, Davin #213 in 1995.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, Davin #829.

  • England and Wales · Boys20 shared years, 19962024

    Alan held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Davin in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Davin #1456 in 2005.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Davin #2921.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 20052021

    Alan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Davin in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #156 in 2015, Davin #232 in 2016.

    The order changed in 2012: Alan moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #307 and #247; by 2012 that had become #204 and #247.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Alan #266, Davin #374.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Alan, Davin
FieldAlanDavin
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningExact 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
OriginUncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal)Not yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈæl.ən/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alan has a recorded origin (Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal)); Davin does not have one recorded yet.
  • Alan and Davin both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Alan; Davin doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Alan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #9 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #274 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Davin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1970

    First recorded at #305 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1970–2025

    Highest recorded position: #213 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1995 (recorded 1970–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys