Alan
Say it: AL-an/ˈæl.ən/
Boy4 letters2 syllables
#232
in Ireland (2025)
#229 with spellings combined
20
babies in 2025
#9
best rank (1975)
19,656
babies since 1964
Down 120
10-year rank change
Alan through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | #229 |
| 2024 | 18 | #238 |
| 2023 | 13 | #308 |
| 2022 | 31 | #172 |
| 2021 | 28 | #186 |
| 2020 | 24 | #203 |
| 2019 | 47 | #128 |
| 2018 | 43 | #142 |
| 2017 | 53 | #120 |
| 2016 | 60 | #114 |
| 2015 | 66 | #109 |
| 2014 | 82 | #94 |
| 2013 | 104 | #76 |
| 2012 | 108 | #72 |
| 2011 | 103 | #75 |
| 2010 | 117 | #68 |
| 2009 | 138 | #64 |
| 2008 | 116 | #73 |
| 2007 | 121 | #65 |
| 2006 | 83 | #80 |
| 2005 | 98 | #72 |
| 2004 | 86 | #77 |
| 2003 | 91 | #71 |
| 2002 | 110 | #60 |
| 2001 | 113 | #59 |
| 2000 | 134 | #51 |
| 1999 | 122 | #53 |
| 1998 | 140 | #46 |
| 1997 | 205 | #42 |
| 1996 | 248 | #35 |
| 1995 | 229 | #35 |
| 1994 | 249 | #34 |
| 1993 | 277 | #28 |
| 1992 | 333 | #20 |
| 1991 | 373 | #21 |
| 1990 | 391 | #19 |
| 1989 | 438 | #17 |
| 1988 | 428 | #17 |
| 1987 | 535 | #13 |
| 1986 | 579 | #13 |
| 1985 | 603 | #12 |
| 1984 | 647 | #11 |
| 1983 | 687 | #11 |
| 1982 | 733 | #11 |
| 1981 | 785 | #11 |
| 1980 | 815 | #9 |
| 1979 | 735 | #10 |
| 1978 | 674 | #11 |
| 1977 | 679 | #11 |
| 1976 | 718 | #11 |
| 1975 | 747 | #9 |
| 1974 | 656 | #10 |
| 1973 | 605 | #10 |
| 1972 | 646 | #11 |
| 1971 | 569 | #13 |
| 1970 | 567 | #13 |
| 1969 | 517 | #15 |
| 1968 | 444 | #18 |
| 1967 | 376 | #20 |
| 1966 | 338 | #23 |
| 1965 | 316 | #27 |
| 1964 | 245 | #29 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Alan mean?
Uncertain
Breton, the name of early Breton saints, brought to England by the Normans.
Say it right
ALan
The story of Alan
Alan was the name of several early saints in Brittany, and it came to England with the Normans, many of whom were Bretons. Its meaning is disputed. Some link it to a Celtic god, the brother of Bran in Welsh tradition, and there was also an early Irish name that may be connected with an old word ail, meaning noble. None of these can be proved, so the meaning is best treated as uncertain. The Irish form is Ailín.
Alan was a big name in Ireland for much of the twentieth century. It was already common when the CSO records begin, and it reached number 9 in 1975. It peaked in 1980, when 815 boys were named Alan, and it stayed in the top 20 through most of the 1980s.
Since then it has become much rarer, and in 2025 it was number 232, with 20 babies. It was never as common in Northern Ireland, where its best recent year was 1999, at number 107.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Alan (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Alan (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Al
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Alan | 20 | 19,656 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #107 (1999); 332 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.