Alan vs Philip
Alan and Philipcompared 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 Philip #69 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1988, Alan was ranked #98 and Philip #81 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alan was ranked #274 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alan was ranked #232 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Alan was ranked #352 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Alan and Philip over time
Alan and Philip appear together in 6 published lists, across 249 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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, Philip in 2. 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 1961, Philip moved ahead of Alan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #37 and #39 the year before became #40 and #39.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alan and Philip changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #592 and #461.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alan and Philip averaged 9.5 places apart, ending at #100 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
Alan and Philip were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 32 years, from 1952 to 1983, ending at #100 and #69.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alan #163 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys66 shared years, 1948–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Philip in 56.
Highest recorded here: Alan #184 in 2015, Philip #68 in 2013.
The order changed in 1982: Philip moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #241 and #318; by 1982 that had become #411 and #246.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #274, Philip #91.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Philip in 2.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, Philip #309.
New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1954–1988
Alan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Philip in 29.
Highest recorded here: Alan #15 in 1954, Philip #20 in 1963.
The order changed in 1959: Philip moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #17 and #28; by 1959 that had become #24 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Alan #98, Philip #81.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1952–1983
Alan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Philip in 25.
Highest recorded here: Alan #27 in 1953, Philip #29 in 1958.
The order changed in 1961: Philip moved ahead. In 1960 they stood at #37 and #39; by 1961 that had become #40 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Alan #100, Philip #69.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Philip in 14.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022
Alan held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Philip in 11.
Highest recorded here: Alan #107 in 1999, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Alan #352, Philip #311.
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 | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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)); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- Alan and Philip both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Alan; Philip doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys