Given name & surname · also German, Celtic
Alan
“one who is precious”·“resembling a little rock”
Alan is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who is precious” and “resembling a little rock”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Original GermanAlanus
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who is precious” and “resembling a little rock”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Celtic, although the derivation remains uncertain.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1882. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Alan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 364,389
- 363,313 boys · 1,076 girls
- Most popular year
- 1955
- 9,052 babies
- 2025
- 1,915
- #191 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −11%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,915 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 191 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 10.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 9,037 in 1955. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (318). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 284,872 as a first name in 2020; 1,539 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Alan’s family of names
In English usage, Alan has a diminutive in Allie. In English usage, Alan has a feminine form in Alana. Alan has an alternative spelling in Allen.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Alan has relatives in 27 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Celtic roots to each of them.
36 related names in 27 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 32
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Allisondiminutive · English
- Alliediminutive · English
- Allenvariant · English, Breton
- Allanvariant · English, Faroese
- Ilanvariant · English
- Allydiminutive · English
- Elonvariant · English
- Alainvariant · Slovene, French
Show 24 moreShow fewer
- Ailinvariant
- Alenvariant · English
- Aldiminutive · English, Czech
- Alleyvariant
- Alinvariant
- Allynvariant
- Alannvariant
- Alanovariant · Spanish, Italian
- Allonvariant
- Allinvariant
- Alleynevariant
- Allaynevariant
- Alansonvariant
- Alandvariant
- Aileanvariant · Scottish Gaelic
- 校長nickname
- Lantoydiminutive · ceb
- Alánekdiminutive · Czech
- Alawnvariant · Welsh
- Alunvariant · Welsh
- Allaenvariant
- Alaenvariant
- Alleynvariant
- Allainvariant
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 23
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 7
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Alan
- Alan TuringEnglish computer scientist (1912–1954)
- Alan RickmanBritish actor and director (1946–2016)
- A. A. MilneBritish author known for creating Winnie-the-Pooh (1882–1956)
- Alan ShearerEnglish footballerborn 1970
- Alan ArkinAmerican actor, filmmaker (1934–2023)
- Alan GarcíaPresident of Peru (1985–1990 and 2006–2011)1949–2019
- Alan ShepardAmerican astronaut, first American in space, lunar explorer (1923–1998)
- Alan MooreBritish comic book author (born 1953)
- Alan GreenspanAmerican economist and financial advisor (1926–2026)
Characters named Alan: Alan Scott (fictional superhero of the DC Comics Universe), Alan Grant (Jurassic Park), Alan Partridge (fictional radio and television presenter), Dutch Schaefer (Predator character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Alan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Avon
“of the river”
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“born of fire” · “handsome, fair one”
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Vaughn
“the little beloved one” · “one who is small”
90% boys · 10% girls
Douglas
“from the black river”
>99% boys
Gordon
“from the great hill; a hero”
>99% boys
Gary
“one who wields a spear”
>99% boys
Randall
“the wolf shield”
>99% boys