Namewise

Alan vs Derin

Alan and Derincompared 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.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Derin #5119 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Derin over time

Alan and Derin appear together in 1 published list, across 21 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Derin in 0.

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

Derin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Alan 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 · Boys21 shared years, 20032024

    Alan held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Derin in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #170 in 2015, Derin #1756 in 2007.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Derin #5119.

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, Derin
FieldAlanDerin
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemaleUsed for both boys and girls
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
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #4192 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/10040/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

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

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

Derin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded2003

    First recorded at #3467 among boys in England and Wales in 2003 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2008–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1537 among girls in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 2008–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls