Alan vs Josh

Alan and Joshcompared 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 2025, Alan was ranked #232 and Josh #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Josh #218 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Alan was ranked #348 and Josh #221 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Josh #857 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Josh over time

Alan and Josh appear together in 3 published lists, across 92 years of shared records. Josh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alan in 1.

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 Josh 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2011, Alan moved ahead of Josh in England and Wales · Boys — #205 and #193 the year before became #199 and #201.
Longest-running competitions
Alan and Josh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 36 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #232 and #188.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys36 shared years, 1989–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Josh in 17.
Highest recorded here: Alan #17 in 1989, Josh #56 in 2003.
The order changed in 2014: Josh moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #76 and #90; by 2014 that had become #94 and #84.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, Josh #188.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Josh in 15.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Josh #84 in 2002.
The order changed in 2011: Alan moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #205 and #193; by 2011 that had become #199 and #201.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Josh #857.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2023
Alan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Josh in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alan #107 in 1999, Josh #38 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alan #348, Josh #221.

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, Josh
Field	Alan	Josh
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	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #188 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
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 has a recorded origin (Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal)); Josh does not have one recorded yet.
Alan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Josh.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Josh doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in 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

Josh

Popularity journey

First recorded1989
First recorded at #278 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys