Alan is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Alan means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Alan across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Alan has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Alan is a boy name of Celtic origin meaning “of uncertain meaning, possibly rock or handsome”. introduced to England by the Normans.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 364,389 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 5,343 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 11,176 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 332 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 19,656 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 5,689 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Alan per year, United States (1882 to 2025). United States peaked in 1955 (9,052/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1980 (815/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1975 (715/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2015 (346/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1999 (21/yr).
Alan has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1955, when it ranked #85 nationally (given to 9,052 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Eliana · Ailany · Waylon · Elaine · Allen · Elian · Allan · Alina
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