Alan vs Nataniel

Alan and Natanielcompared 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 Nataniel #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2018, Alan was ranked #255 and Nataniel #416 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alan was ranked #274 and Nataniel #508 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Nataniel #3254 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Nataniel over time

Alan and Nataniel appear together in 3 published lists, across 58 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nataniel in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Nataniel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Alan 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.

Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Alan #64 in 2009, Nataniel #289 in 2011.

List by list

Norway · Boys25 shared years, 1995–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Nataniel in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alan #184 in 2015, Nataniel #293 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #274, Nataniel #508.
England and Wales · Boys19 shared years, 2006–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Nataniel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #170 in 2015, Nataniel #743 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Nataniel #3254.
Republic of Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 2007–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Nataniel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #64 in 2009, Nataniel #289 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, Nataniel #829.

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

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alan, Nataniel
Field	Alan	Nataniel
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	3
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, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	Norway · Boys #508 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	76/100
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)); Nataniel does not have one recorded yet.
Alan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nataniel.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Nataniel doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.

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

Nataniel

Popularity journey

First recorded1995
First recorded at #545 among boys in Norway in 1995 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2007–2025
Highest recorded position: #289 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 2007–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #508 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys