Allan vs Terry
Allan and Terrycompared 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 1968, Allan was ranked #56 and Terry #92 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1972, Allan was ranked #78 and Terry #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Allan was ranked #646 and Terry #764 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Allan was ranked #1951 and Terry #2263 among boys in England and Wales.
Allan and Terry over time
Allan and Terry appear together in 4 published lists, across 94 years of shared records. Allan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Terry 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.
Allan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Terry 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Allan and Terry changed places 10 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1972 and 2019, ending at #646 and #764.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Allan and Terry averaged 19.4 places apart, ending at #78 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
Allan and Terry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 33 years, from 1972 to 2019, ending at #646 and #764.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Allan #489 in 1996, Terry #301 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1972–2019
Allan held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Terry in 9.
Highest recorded here: Allan #121 in 1974, Terry #177 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Allan #646, Terry #764.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Allan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Terry in 28.
Highest recorded here: Allan #489 in 1996, Terry #301 in 1997.
The order changed in 2024: Allan moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #1799 and #1610; by 2024 that had become #1951 and #2263.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Allan #1951, Terry #2263.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys20 shared years, 1952–1972
Allan held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Terry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Allan #31 in 1952, Terry #49 in 1959.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Allan #78, Terry #90.
New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 1956–1968
Allan held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Terry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Allan #32 in 1958, Terry #76 in 1962.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1968: Allan #56, Terry #92.
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 | Allan | Terry |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #418 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Allan and Terry 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
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
Terry
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #60 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 recorded1952–1972
Highest recorded position: #49 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1959 (recorded 1952–1972).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys