Alan vs Kenneth
Alan and Kennethcompared 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 1977, Alan was ranked #86 and Kenneth #99 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1981, Alan was ranked #98 and Kenneth #88 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Alan was ranked #159 and Kenneth #315 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #240 and Kenneth #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2021, Alan was ranked #314 and Kenneth #475 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Kenneth #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Kenneth #968 among boys in England and Wales.
Alan and Kenneth over time
Alan and Kenneth appear together in 5 published lists, across 203 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kenneth in 2.
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.
Kenneth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Alan 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 1974, Alan moved ahead of Kenneth in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #91 and #90 the year before became #94 and #99.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alan and Kenneth changed places 7 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1977, ending at #86 and #99.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alan and Kenneth averaged 5.8 places apart, ending at #86 and #99.
- Longest-running competitions
Alan and Kenneth were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 67 years, from 1946 to 2021, ending at #314 and #475.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alan #163 in 1996, Kenneth #345 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys67 shared years, 1946–2021
Alan held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Kenneth in 51.
Highest recorded here: Alan #184 in 2015, Kenneth #10 in 1979.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Alan #314, Kenneth #475.
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Kenneth in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Kenneth #26 in 1972.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #240, Kenneth #785.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kenneth in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Kenneth #345 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Kenneth #968.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 1952–1977
Alan held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Kenneth in 16.
Highest recorded here: Alan #27 in 1953, Kenneth #16 in 1952.
The order changed in 1974: Alan moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #91 and #90; by 1974 that had become #94 and #99.
Most recent shared year, 1977: Alan #86, Kenneth #99.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 1954–1981
Alan held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Kenneth in 3.
Highest recorded here: Alan #15 in 1954, Kenneth #28 in 1954.
The order changed in 1977: Kenneth moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #69 and #100; by 1977 that had become #90 and #88.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Alan #98, Kenneth #88.
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 | Kenneth |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Anglicized form of both Coinneach and Cináed, of Scottish Gaelic origin. Borne by the Scottish king Kenneth mac Alpin, who united the Scots and Picts in the 9th century. |
| Origin | Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal) | Scottish Gaelic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæl.ən/ | /ˈkɛn.əθ/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) |
| 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 Kenneth is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic origin.
- Alan and Kenneth both have 2 syllables.
- Alan's recorded meaning differs from Kenneth'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
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
Kenneth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #303 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2021
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1979 (recorded 1945–2021).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #968 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys