Allan vs Kevin

Allan and Kevincompared 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 1998, Allan was ranked #207 and Kevin #60 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1977, Allan was ranked #87 and Kevin #64 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1985, Allan was ranked #93 and Kevin #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Allan was ranked #646 and Kevin #100 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Allan was ranked #418 and Kevin #186 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Allan was ranked #1951 and Kevin #264 among boys in England and Wales.

Allan and Kevin over time

Allan and Kevin appear together in 5 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. Kevin held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Allan 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.

Allan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kevin in 1. 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.

Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Allan and Kevin averaged 20.2 places apart, ending at #93 and #75.
Longest-running competitions
Allan and Kevin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 30 years, from 1952 to 1985, ending at #93 and #75.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Allan #489 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.

List by list

Norway · Boys54 shared years, 1953–2025
Allan held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Kevin in 37.
Highest recorded here: Allan #221 in 1956, Kevin #48 in 1998.
The order changed in 1973: Kevin moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #382 and #477; by 1973 that had become #257 and #245.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Allan #418, Kevin #186.
Republic of Ireland · Boys46 shared years, 1964–2019
Allan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 46.
Highest recorded here: Allan #121 in 1974, Kevin #11 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Allan #646, Kevin #100.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys30 shared years, 1952–1985
Allan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 30.
Highest recorded here: Allan #31 in 1952, Kevin #15 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Allan #93, Kevin #75.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Allan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 29.
Highest recorded here: Allan #489 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Allan #1951, Kevin #264.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1954–1977
Allan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kevin in 20.
Highest recorded here: Allan #32 in 1958, Kevin #8 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1977: Allan #87, Kevin #64.

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 Kevin

Pairs where Kevin shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Kevin vs Ronny
Over 52 shared years in Norway · Boys, Kevin rose about as far as Ronny fell — from #369 and #231 in 1953 to #62 and #515 in 2011.
Kevin · Ronny · 52 shared years, 1953–2011 · Mirrored each other
See the 2011 Norway ranking
Brian vs Kevin
Brian and Kevin changed places 15 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1984, ending at #96 and #70.
Brian · Kevin · 33 shared years, 1952–1984 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 1984 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Kevin vs Kristoffer
Kevin and Kristoffer changed places 15 times in Norway · Boys between 1953 and 2025, ending at #186 and #187.
Kevin · Kristoffer · 71 shared years, 1953–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Norway ranking
Kevin vs Marcus
Kevin and Marcus changed places 14 times in Norway · Boys between 1963 and 2025, ending at #186 and #150.
Kevin · Marcus · 62 shared years, 1963–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Norway ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Allan, Kevin
Field	Allan	Kevin
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	An Anglicized form of the Irish Caoimhín, combining Old Irish 'cóem' (dear, beloved, gentle) with 'gein' (birth) — 'beloved birth'. Associated with Saint Caoimhín, who founded a monastery at Glendalough in the 6th century.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Irish
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈkɛv.ɪn/
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Boys #418 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #139 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Kevin has a recorded origin (Irish); Allan does not have one recorded yet.
Allan and Kevin both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Kevin; Allan doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Allan

Popularity journey

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
Highest recorded1952–1985
Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1985).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #418 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys

Kevin

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #26 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
Highest recorded1954–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #186 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys