Alan vs Mikey
Alan and Mikeycompared 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 Mikey #170 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Alan was ranked #266 and Mikey #374 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Mikey #404 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Mikey #880 among boys in England and Wales.
Alan and Mikey over time
Alan and Mikey appear together in 3 published lists, across 62 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Mikey in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 Mikey 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Mikey in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Mikey #325 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Mikey #880.
Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 2001–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Mikey in 3.
Highest recorded here: Alan #59 in 2001, Mikey #169 in 2024.
The order changed in 2023: Mikey moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #173 and #184; by 2023 that had become #319 and #288.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, Mikey #170.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2007–2021
Alan held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Mikey in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #152 in 2008, Mikey #303 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Alan #266, Mikey #374.
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 | Mikey |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #170 (2025) |
| 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)); Mikey does not have one recorded yet.
- Alan and Mikey both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Alan; Mikey doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
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
Mikey
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #573 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2001–2025
Highest recorded position: #169 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 2001–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #170 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys