Alan vs Grant

Alan and Grantcompared 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 Grant #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2009, Alan was ranked #64 and Grant #701 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1987, Alan was ranked #98 and Grant #99 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2006, Alan was ranked #199 and Grant #341 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Grant #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Grant #4270 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Grant over time

Alan and Grant appear together in 4 published lists, across 101 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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, and Grant 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.

One took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Grant moved into the top 50 at #42 in 1965 as Alan fell out of it to #51, having been #45 the year before.
One moved ahead of the other
In 1998, Alan moved ahead of Grant in England and Wales · Boys — #179 and #166 the year before became #196 and #232.
Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alan and Grant averaged 32.7 places apart, ending at #100 and #46.
Longest-running competitions
Alan and Grant were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 31 years, from 1953 to 1983, ending at #100 and #46.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alan #163 in 1996, Grant #128 in 1996.

List by list

New Zealand · Boys33 shared years, 1954–1987
Alan held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Grant in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alan #15 in 1954, Grant #13 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Alan #98, Grant #99.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys31 shared years, 1953–1983
Alan held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Grant in 20.
Highest recorded here: Alan #27 in 1953, Grant #32 in 1966.
The order changed in 1965: Grant moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #45 and #47; by 1965 that had become #51 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Alan #100, Grant #46.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Grant in 2.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Grant #128 in 1996.
The order changed in 1998: Alan moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #179 and #166; by 1998 that had become #196 and #232.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Grant #4270.
Republic of Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 1991–2009
Alan held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Grant in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #20 in 1992, Grant #234 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Alan #64, Grant #701.

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 Ian
Alan and Ian 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 · Ian · 74 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

Other comparisons involving Grant

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

Wayne vs Grant
Across 30 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Wayne and Grant averaged 5.1 places apart, ending at #88 and #70.
Wayne · Grant · 30 shared years, 1954–1984 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1984 New Zealand ranking
Jason vs Grant
In 1969, Jason moved ahead of Grant in New Zealand · Boys — #19 and #17 the year before became #6 and #18.
Jason · Grant · 22 shared years, 1966–1987 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1969 New Zealand ranking
Gregory vs Grant
Across 34 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Gregory and Grant averaged 8.1 places apart, ending at #72 and #99.
Gregory · Grant · 34 shared years, 1954–1987 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1987 New Zealand ranking
George vs Grant
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, George and Grant averaged 10.0 places apart, ending at #66 and #75.
George · Grant · 38 shared years, 1953–1990 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1990 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alan, Grant
Field	Alan	Grant
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	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	Scotland · Boys #535 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	94/100
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)); Grant does not have one recorded yet.
Alan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Grant.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Grant doesn't have one written yet.
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

Grant

Popularity journey

First recorded1953
First recorded at #93 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1987
Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in New Zealand, in 1964 (recorded 1954–1987).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4270 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys