Alan vs Pierce

Alan and Piercecompared 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.

Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Alan was ranked #231 and Pierce #334 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alan was ranked #232 and Pierce #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Pierce #4270 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Pierce over time

Alan and Pierce appear together in 3 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Pierce 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.

Pierce reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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 2007, Alan moved ahead of Pierce in Northern Ireland · Boys — #199 and #188 the year before became #159 and #209.
Longest-running competitions
Alan and Pierce were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #232 and #676.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alan #163 in 1996, Pierce #365 in 1996.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Pierce in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Pierce #132 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, Pierce #676.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Pierce in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Pierce #365 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Pierce #4270.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2020
Alan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Pierce in 2.
Highest recorded here: Alan #107 in 1999, Pierce #122 in 1998.
The order changed in 2007: Alan moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #199 and #188; by 2007 that had become #159 and #209.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Alan #231, Pierce #334.

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, Pierce
Field	Alan	Pierce
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, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (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)); Pierce does not have one recorded yet.
Alan and Pierce both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Pierce doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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

Pierce

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #155 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2020
Highest recorded position: #122 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1997–2020).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys