Alan vs Gary
Alan and Garycompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1983, Alan was ranked #100 and Gary #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1981, Alan was ranked #98 and Gary #94 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #240 and Gary #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Alan was ranked #352 and Gary #352 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Gary #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Gary #2671 among boys in England and Wales.
Alan and Gary over time
Alan and Gary appear together in 5 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Gary in 2.
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 2 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1997, Alan moved ahead of Gary in England and Wales · Boys — #163 and #147 the year before became #179 and #192.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alan and Gary changed places 9 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1981, ending at #98 and #94.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alan and Gary averaged 17.4 places apart, ending at #100 and #85.
- Longest-running competitions
Alan and Gary were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 30 years, from 1952 to 1983, ending at #100 and #85.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alan #163 in 1996, Gary #147 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Gary in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Gary #25 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #240, Gary #785.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys30 shared years, 1952–1983
Alan held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Gary in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alan #27 in 1953, Gary #8 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Alan #100, Gary #85.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Gary in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Gary #147 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Alan moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #163 and #147; by 1997 that had become #179 and #192.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Gary #2671.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1954–1981
Alan held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Gary in 19.
Highest recorded here: Alan #15 in 1954, Gary #19 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Alan #98, Gary #94.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2022
Alan held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Gary in 9.
Highest recorded here: Alan #107 in 1999, Gary #57 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Alan #352, Gary #352.
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
| Field | Alan | Gary |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | An English surname originally a short form of Norman given names beginning with the Old German element 'ger' ('spear'). Adopted as a stage name by actor Gary Cooper, after Gary, Indiana. |
| Origin | Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal) | Germanic (surname origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæl.ən/ | /ˈɡæɹ.i/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #619 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal) origin, while Gary is recorded with a Germanic (surname origin) origin.
- Alan and Gary both have 2 syllables.
- Alan's recorded meaning differs from Gary's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
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
Gary
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1984
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys