Namewise

Alan vs George

Alan and Georgecompared 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 2025, Alan was ranked #539 and George #7 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Alan was ranked #348 and George #25 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and George #48 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1983, Alan was ranked #100 and George #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1988, Alan was ranked #98 and George #68 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Alan was ranked #232 and George #112 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2023, Alan was ranked #247 and George #364 among boys in Norway.

Alan and George over time

Alan and George appear together in 6 published lists, across 240 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Alan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, George in 2. 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.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, George moved into the top 50 at #38 in 1965 as Alan fell out of it to #51, having been #45 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1965, George moved ahead of Alan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #45 and #46 the year before became #51 and #38.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alan and George changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1988, ending at #98 and #68.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alan and George averaged 24.3 places apart, ending at #100 and #60.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alan and George were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #539 and #7.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Alan #15 in 1954, George #50 in 1954.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Alan held the stronger position in 51 of those years, George in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, George #52 in 1964.

    The order changed in 2015: George moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #94 and #103; by 2015 that had become #109 and #90.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, George #112.

  • Norway · Boys55 shared years, 1946–2023

    Alan held the stronger position in 38 of those years, George in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #184 in 2015, George #253 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Alan #247, George #364.

  • New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1954–1988

    Alan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, George in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #15 in 1954, George #50 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1980: George moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #96 and #97; by 1980 that had become #96 and #80.

    Most recent shared year, 1988: Alan #98, George #68.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1952–1983

    Alan held the stronger position in 13 of those years, George in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #27 in 1953, George #36 in 1966.

    The order changed in 1965: George moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #45 and #46; by 1965 that had become #51 and #38.

    Most recent shared year, 1983: Alan #100, George #60.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Alan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, George in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, George #2 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #539, George #7.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Alan held the stronger position in 3 of those years, George in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #107 in 1999, George #25 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Alan #348, George #25.

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

Other comparisons involving George

Pairs where George shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alan, George
FieldAlanGeorge
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
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.Farmer, earth-worker.
OriginUncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal)Greek
Pronunciation/ˈæl.ən//ˈdʒɔːdʒ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #7 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alan is recorded with a Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal) origin, while George is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Alan and George both have 2 syllables.
  • Alan's recorded meaning differs from George's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

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 #539 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

George

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #345 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 recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys