Given name & surname
Allan
“one who is precious”·“resembling a little rock”
Allan is a variant of Alan. Interpretations include “one who is precious” and “resembling a little rock”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Allan is a variant of Alan. Interpretations include “one who is precious” and “resembling a little rock”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Allan is a variant of Alan. A possible origin is Celtic, although the derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Allan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 96,711
- 96,458 boys · 253 girls
- Most popular year
- 1947
- 2,192 babies
- 2025
- 223
- #1,013 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −6%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 223 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,013 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 6.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 2,187 in 1947. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (34). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 69,671 as a first name in 2020; 10,607 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.
Allan’s family of names
In Filipino usage, Allan has a diminutive in Al. Allan has an alternative spelling in Alan. Allan has a related form in Alan.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Allan has relatives in 4 languages.
4 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Allan
- Woody AllenAmerican filmmaker, actor and comedian (born 1935)
- Allan MacLeod CormackAmerican physicist (1924-1998)
- Allan SimonsenDanish footballerborn 1952
- Allan Octavian HumeBritish Ornithologist and Founder of the Indian National Congress (1829–1912)
- AllanBrazilian association football player (born 1991)
- Allan Saint-MaximinFrench footballerborn 1997
- Allan NyomCameroonian footballerborn 1988
- Allan HoldsworthBritish musician (1946–2017)
- Allan PinkertonScottish-American civil war detective and spy1819–1884
Characters named Allan: Allan Quatermain (fictional character created by H. Rider Haggard), Allan Thompson (Tintin character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Allan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Arlan
“a solemn, binding promise”
>99% boys
Avon
“of the river”
>99% boys
Van
“resembling a butterfly” · “God is gracious”
95% boys · 5% girls
Alton
“from the old town”
>99% boys
Larry
“man from Laurentum; crowned with laurel” · “a tomboyish woman”
>99% boys
Vaughn
“the little beloved one” · “one who is small”
90% boys · 10% girls
Truman
“one who is loyal”
>99% boys
Eddie
“a wealthy protector” · “a wealthy friend”
98% boys · 2% girls