Alan vs Samson

Alan and Samsoncompared 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 2015, Alan was ranked #156 and Samson #342 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #240 and Samson #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alan was ranked #274 and Samson #439 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Samson #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alan was ranked #592 and Samson #651 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Samson over time

Alan and Samson appear together in 3 published lists, across 79 years of shared records. Alan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Samson in 0.

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

Alan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Samson 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.

Longest-running competitions
Alan and Samson were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 36 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #274 and #439.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Alan #184 in 2015, Samson #349 in 2017.

List by list

Norway · Boys36 shared years, 1969–2025
Alan held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Samson in 1.
Highest recorded here: Alan #184 in 2015, Samson #349 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #274, Samson #439.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Samson in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Samson #452 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #592, Samson #651.
Republic of Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 1999–2024
Alan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Samson in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alan #53 in 1999, Samson #347 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alan #240, Samson #785.

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, Samson
Field	Alan	Samson
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, NO
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)	Norway · Boys #439 (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)); Samson does not have one recorded yet.
Alan and Samson both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Alan; Samson doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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

Samson

Popularity journey

First recorded1969
First recorded at #541 among boys in Norway in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #439 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys