Alan vs Ernest

Alan and Ernestcompared 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 2021, Alan was ranked #186 and Ernest #552 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Ernest #296 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Ernest #727 among boys in Scotland.

Alan and Ernest over time

Alan and Ernest appear together in 2 published lists, across 60 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ernest 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 Ernest were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 31 years, from 1964 to 2021, ending at #186 and #552.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys31 shared years, 1964–2021
Alan held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Ernest in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Ernest #167 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Alan #186, Ernest #552.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Ernest in 5.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Ernest #270 in 2022.
The order changed in 2021: Ernest moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #298 and #301; by 2021 that had become #352 and #305.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Ernest #296.

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, Ernest
Field	Alan	Ernest
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-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	England and Wales · Boys #296 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	88/100
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)); Ernest does not have one recorded yet.
Alan and Ernest both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Ernest doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, 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

Ernest

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #181 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2021
Highest recorded position: #167 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1968 (recorded 1964–2021).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #296 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys