Alan vs Gregory
Alan and Gregorycompared 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 Gregory #49 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1988, Alan was ranked #98 and Gregory #76 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Alan was ranked #204 and Gregory #403 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alan was ranked #232 and Gregory #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Gregory #727 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Gregory #1460 among boys in England and Wales.
Alan and Gregory over time
Alan and Gregory appear together in 4 published lists, across 155 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, Gregory in 1. 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1959, Gregory moved ahead of Alan in New Zealand · Boys — #17 and #24 the year before became #24 and #19.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alan and Gregory averaged 41.1 places apart, ending at #100 and #49.
- Longest-running competitions
Alan and Gregory were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 32 years, from 1952 to 1983, ending at #100 and #49.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alan #163 in 1996, Gregory #117 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Gregory in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Gregory #72 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, Gregory #829.
New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1954–1988
Alan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Gregory in 29.
Highest recorded here: Alan #15 in 1954, Gregory #16 in 1960.
The order changed in 1959: Gregory moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #17 and #24; by 1959 that had become #24 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Alan #98, Gregory #76.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1952–1983
Alan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Gregory in 32.
Highest recorded here: Alan #27 in 1953, Gregory #7 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Alan #100, Gregory #49.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Gregory in 7.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Gregory #117 in 1997.
The order changed in 2004: Alan moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #296 and #253; by 2004 that had become #275 and #352.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Gregory #1460.
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 | Gregory |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From Latin Gregorius, from Late Greek Gregorios, from 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), itself from 'egeiro' ('to awaken'). Borne by Saint Gregory the Illuminator and Pope Gregory I the Great. |
| Origin | Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal) | From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæl.ən/ | /ˈɡɹɛɡ.ə.ɹi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal) origin, while Gregory is recorded with a From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius origin.
- Alan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Gregory.
- Alan's recorded meaning differs from Gregory'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
Gregory
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #9 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 recorded1952–1990
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1990).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys