Alastair vs Bryan
Alastair and Bryancompared 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 2020, Alastair was ranked #637 and Bryan #307 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alastair was ranked #619 and Bryan #330 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Alastair was ranked #357 and Bryan #357 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alastair was ranked #1282 and Bryan #486 among boys in England and Wales.
Alastair and Bryan over time
Alastair and Bryan appear together in 2 published lists, across 50 years of shared records. Bryan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alastair 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 — Alastair #217 in 1984, Bryan #81 in 1983.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alastair held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Bryan in 18.
Highest recorded here: Alastair #195 in 1996, Bryan #442 in 2005.
The order changed in 2007: Bryan moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #440 and #515; by 2007 that had become #589 and #532.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alastair #1282, Bryan #486.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1966–2020
Alastair held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Bryan in 21.
Highest recorded here: Alastair #217 in 1984, Bryan #81 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Alastair #637, Bryan #307.
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 | Alastair | Bryan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #619 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alastair has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Bryan.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Alastair
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #229 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2007
Highest recorded position: #182 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1997–2007).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1282 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Bryan
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #74 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1970
Highest recorded position: #64 among boys in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1970).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys