Alan vs Don

Alan and Doncompared 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 2019, Alan was ranked #129 and Don #764 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 1997, Alan was ranked #136 and Don #271 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Don #2443 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Don over time

Alan and Don appear together in 2 published lists, across 60 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Don 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 Don 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 Don were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 32 years, from 1965 to 2019, ending at #129 and #764.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1965–2019
Alan held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Don in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Don #187 in 1979.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Alan #129, Don #764.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Don in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Don #1299 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Don #2443.

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, Don
Field	Alan	Don
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	1
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, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	England and Wales · Boys #2443 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	95/100
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)); Don does not have one recorded yet.
Alan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Don.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Don 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

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

Don

Popularity journey

First recorded1965
First recorded at #207 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1965–2019
Highest recorded position: #187 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1979 (recorded 1965–2019).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2443 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys