Alistair vs Glenn
Alistair and Glenncompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1964, Alistair was ranked #100 and Glenn #42 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Alistair was ranked #403 and Glenn #403 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alistair was ranked #509 and Glenn #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alistair was ranked #545 and Glenn #5119 among boys in England and Wales.
Alistair and Glenn over time
Alistair and Glenn appear together in 3 published lists, across 58 years of shared records. Glenn held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Alistair in 1.
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.
Alistair reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Glenn 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alistair #133 in 1996, Glenn #278 in 1996.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2024
Alistair held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Glenn in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #133 in 1996, Glenn #278 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alistair #545, Glenn #5119.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1969–2025
Alistair held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Glenn in 18.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #245 in 1979, Glenn #92 in 1992.
The order changed in 2025: Alistair moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #785 and #582; by 2025 that had become #509 and #829.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alistair #509, Glenn #829.
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 1997–2012
Alistair held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Glenn in 9.
Highest recorded here: Alistair #179 in 1997, Glenn #104 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Alistair #403, Glenn #403.
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 | Alistair | Glenn |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (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
- Alistair has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Glenn.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Alistair
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #97 among boys in New Zealand in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1956–1964
Highest recorded position: #87 among boys in New Zealand, in 1958 (recorded 1956–1964).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Glenn
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #329 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1962 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys