Alan vs Donncha

Alan and Donnchacompared 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 2017, Alan was ranked #214 and Donncha #3040 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alan was ranked #232 and Donncha #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Alan was ranked #348 and Donncha #272 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Alan and Donncha over time

Alan and Donncha appear together in 2 published lists, across 70 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Donncha 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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 Donncha were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1967 to 2025, ending at #232 and #468.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Alan #133 in 2009, Donncha #218 in 2011.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1967–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 55 of those years, Donncha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Donncha #159 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, Donncha #468.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2006–2023
Alan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Donncha in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alan #133 in 2009, Donncha #218 in 2011.
The order changed in 2023: Donncha moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #266 and #433; by 2023 that had become #348 and #272.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alan #348, Donncha #272.

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, Donncha
Field	Alan	Donncha
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, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #468 (2025)
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)); Donncha does not have one recorded yet.
Alan and Donncha both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Donncha 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

Donncha

Popularity journey

First recorded1967
First recorded at #245 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1967 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1967–2025
Highest recorded position: #159 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1967–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys