Alan - Boy Names - Mama Natural

• Alan Name Origin: English
• Pronunciation: ahl-en
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Alan Name Meaning

The name Alan is of Celtic origin and it means “bright” or “handsome”.

Origins of the Name Alan

The name Alan is derived from the Old Welsh word “alun” which means “fair, bright, white”. In the Middle Ages, the name Alan was very common in England and Scotland, where it was used as a first name for boys, as well as a surname.

Popularity of the Name Alan

The name Alan has been a consistently popular name throughout history. In the United States, the name Alan was most popular in the mid-20th century and it has been fluctuating in popularity ever since. According to the Social Security Administration, Alan was the 231th most popular boy’s name in the United States in 2020.

Famous Alans

While the name Alan is a common one, there have been a number of notable people throughout history who have borne the name. Here are a few famous Alans that you may have heard of:

• Alan Turing, a British mathematician and logician who is considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.
• Alan Rickman, a British actor and director best known for his role as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films.
• Alan Bean, an American astronaut and naval officer who was the fourth person to walk on the Moon.
• Alan Greenspan, an American economist who served as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve of the United States from 1987 to 2006.
• Alan Alda, an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author best known for his portrayal of Hawkeye Pierce in the television series MAS*H.

Final Thoughts on the Name Alan

The name Alan may be a common one, but it has a rich history and a powerful meaning. The name is of Celtic origin and it means “bright” or “handsome”. It is also a name that has been popular throughout history and it is a classic choice for a baby boy. And with famous Alans ranging from mathematicians to actors, your little Alan is sure to make his mark on the world.

Infographic of Alan name meaning, which is An English name, Alan means little rock.

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Alan Name Popularity

How popular is the name Alan? Here’s everything we know.

• Chart
• Raw Data
• By State

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	328	27	0.0077%
1911	369	25	0.0067%
1912	372	66	0.0131%
1913	339	108	0.019%
1914	352	136	0.0195%
1915	350	190	0.0209%
1916	342	210	0.0217%
1917	302	269	0.0269%
1918	310	285	0.0266%
1919	305	284	0.0271%
1920	263	395	0.0355%
1921	297	331	0.0289%
1922	261	426	0.0382%
1923	219	556	0.0496%
1924	218	588	0.0506%
1925	182	758	0.0671%
1926	173	800	0.0727%
1927	179	776	0.0701%
1928	159	927	0.0866%
1929	146	1,064	0.1027%
1930	136	1,277	0.1223%
1931	120	1,393	0.1411%
1932	127	1,320	0.1336%
1933	123	1,317	0.1414%
1934	124	1,346	0.1392%
1935	122	1,394	0.1434%
1936	108	1,736	0.1802%
1937	103	1,829	0.1856%
1938	91	2,233	0.2181%
1939	86	2,306	0.2267%
1940	88	2,356	0.2217%
1941	84	2,615	0.2323%
1942	81	3,132	0.248%
1943	67	3,850	0.2949%
1944	55	4,270	0.3445%
1945	52	5,070	0.4157%
1946	49	6,487	0.4396%
1947	45	7,820	0.4685%
1948	46	7,391	0.463%
1949	45	7,256	0.4511%
1950	41	7,738	0.4806%
1951	40	8,413	0.4962%
1952	42	8,306	0.4758%
1953	43	8,444	0.4771%
1954	43	8,710	0.4765%
1955	43	9,028	0.4908%
1956	44	8,722	0.4618%
1957	48	8,208	0.4265%
1958	49	8,227	0.4353%
1959	50	8,148	0.4289%
1960	50	8,357	0.4411%
1961	51	8,617	0.4564%
1962	53	7,712	0.4201%
1963	56	6,935	0.3863%
1964	53	6,810	0.3869%
1965	59	5,618	0.3435%
1966	57	4,944	0.3167%
1967	61	4,564	0.3007%
1968	71	3,980	0.2651%
1969	76	3,860	0.2506%
1970	90	3,560	0.2237%
1971	99	3,164	0.2106%
1972	109	2,576	0.1891%
1973	114	2,266	0.1748%
1974	117	2,228	0.1714%
1975	115	2,243	0.1745%
1976	115	2,186	0.1696%
1977	126	2,128	0.1579%
1978	122	2,112	0.1571%
1979	115	2,325	0.1649%
1980	111	2,669	0.1825%
1981	112	2,591	0.1763%
1982	107	2,681	0.1794%
1983	102	2,766	0.1874%
1984	105	2,701	0.1816%
1985	108	2,678	0.1764%
1986	107	2,637	0.1747%
1987	112	2,583	0.1693%
1988	109	2,752	0.1766%
1989	119	2,723	0.1687%
1990	125	2,629	0.1586%
1991	128	2,536	0.1556%
1992	129	2,596	0.1626%
1993	132	2,547	0.1634%
1994	145	2,406	0.1568%
1995	153	2,272	0.1508%
1996	144	2,423	0.1618%
1997	158	2,155	0.1457%
1998	162	2,103	0.1405%
1999	165	2,220	0.1482%
2000	161	2,394	0.1567%
2001	150	2,621	0.174%
2002	153	2,592	0.173%
2003	132	3,079	0.2024%
2004	132	3,051	0.2002%
2005	128	3,189	0.2086%
2006	122	3,445	0.22%
2007	130	3,229	0.2047%
2008	135	3,002	0.1942%
2009	142	2,818	0.1885%
2010	156	2,487	0.1726%
2011	164	2,321	0.1629%
2012	172	2,254	0.1582%
2013	154	2,581	0.1813%
2014	170	2,471	0.1696%
2015	167	2,464	0.1693%
2016	154	2,609	0.181%
2017	161	2,408	0.1725%
2018	173	2,221	0.1617%
2019	182	2,123	0.1568%
2020	194	1,916	0.1505%
2021	198	1,895	0.155%
2022	189	1,979	0.15%
2023	168	2,146	0.1658%

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Maine (ME)

Michigan (MI)

Minnesota (MN)

Missouri (MO)

Mississippi (MS)

Montana (MT)

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Wyoming (WY)

Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Alan

If you like Alan, you’ll love these other names like Alan.

What names are variants of Alan?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Alan.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Ailean	Precious	German
Ailin	Precious	German
Al
Alain	French
Alair	Cheerful; precious	Latin
Aland	Precious	German
Alann	Precious	German
Alano	Precious	German
Alanson	Precious	German
Alen	Precious	German
Alin	Precious	German
Allain	Precious	German
Allan	Precious	German
Allayne	Precious	German

Allen	Little rock	English
Alley	Precious	German
Alleyn	Precious	German
Alleyne	Precious	German
Allie	Precious; noble, bright, famous; man's defender, warrior	Greek
Allin	Precious	German
Allon	Precious; oak tree	Hebrew
Allyn	Precious	German
Alon	Oak tree	Hebrew
Alun	Welsh
Alyn	Precious	German

What names sound like Alan?

If you like how Alan sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Alan.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Elan	Oak tree	Hebrew
Ilan	Tree	Hebrew

What names are similar to Alan?

Find a name that’s like Alan, but just a little bit different.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Elwyn	White, fair, holy	Welsh

Lists With Alan

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Alan.

• Basic Boy Names That Stand on Their Own // 115 names

  Basic boy names feel like lifelong friends, as they’ve been charted high enough throughout time to earn widespread recognition. Check them out with us.

• Common Boy Names That Parents Love // 191 names

  With great sounds, associations, and meanings, common boy names are popular with parents for a reason. Find out which popular pick might suit your sweet son on our list.

• Southern Boy Names With Chivalry and Charm // 193 names

  Southern boy names are reminiscent of afternoons at nana’s with sweet tea and cobbler. Check out our top picks.

• Gothic Boy Names With Charm and Intrigue // 253 names

  Gothic boy names are historical gems brimming with edgy style and mystery. Meet these epic monikers on our list.

• Space Names for Boys With Out of This World Appeal // 116 names

  Give your little adventurer an out-of-this-world moniker with space names for boys. Strong, smart, and full of wonder, these names inspire greatness.

Siblings of Alan

Mamas with kids named Alan also have kids with these names.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Nova	New	Latin

Logan	Small hollow	Scottish

• Share Your Thoughts

3 Comments

1. Lizette May 17 at 12:44 am

   We didn’t know the gender until baby was born . If it was a girl I chose and since it was a boy dad chose. He likes Alan because it’s a short name and unique.

   Reply

2. Lauren May 6 at 7:20 pm

   Alan is named after someone close to my husband who was killed in action who served in Iraq. I like using the shortened name Al. It reminds me of the Paul Simon classic “You can call me Al”.

   Reply

3. Jackie Feb 2 at 2:22 pm

   We named our last baby boy Alan James the 3rd after my husband and his father.

   Reply

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