Namewise

Allan vs Graham

Allan and Grahamcompared 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 1971, Allan was ranked #96 and Graham #81 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1978, Allan was ranked #93 and Graham #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 1998, Allan was ranked #207 and Graham #137 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2013, Allan was ranked #711 and Graham #448 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Allan was ranked #1951 and Graham #5119 among boys in England and Wales.

Allan and Graham over time

Allan and Graham appear together in 4 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Graham held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Allan 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.

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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Allan and Graham changed places 9 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1951 and #5119.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Allan and Graham averaged 11.6 places apart, ending at #93 and #96.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Allan and Graham were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 45 years, from 1964 to 2013, ending at #711 and #448.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Allan #489 in 1996, Graham #341 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 19642013

    Allan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Graham in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Allan #121 in 1974, Graham #52 in 1984.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Allan #711, Graham #448.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Allan held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Graham in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Allan #489 in 1996, Graham #341 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2024: Allan moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #1799 and #1533; by 2024 that had become #1951 and #5119.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Allan #1951, Graham #5119.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 19521978

    Allan held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Graham in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Allan #31 in 1952, Graham #20 in 1952.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1978: Allan #93, Graham #96.

  • New Zealand · Boys18 shared years, 19541971

    Allan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Graham in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Allan #32 in 1958, Graham #23 in 1954.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1971: Allan #96, Graham #81.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Allan, Graham
FieldAllanGraham
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #418 (2025)Scotland · Boys #727 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Allan and Graham both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Allan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #323 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1985

    Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1985).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #418 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Graham

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1979

    Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1979).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #5119 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys