Given name & surname
Alvan
“friend of the elves”
Alvan is a variant of Alvin. One English interpretation is “friend of the elves.”
Original Hebrewעלון
Meaning & origin
What it means
Alvan is a variant of Alvin. One English interpretation is “friend of the elves.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Alvan is a variant of Alvin. An origin associated with Alvin is Old English.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
From the Hebrew verb 'ala (עלה), “to rise.”
From biblical name research
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1883. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Alvan appears in Genesis 36:23.
From biblical name research
Alvan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,101
- 1,101 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1927
- 53 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2016. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 53 in 1927. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 610 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
See also 9
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Elishares a root
- Aliahshares a root
- Elyonshares a root
- Alianshares a root
- Ullashares a root
- Alvahshares a root
- Tidalshares a root
- Elulshares a root
Show 1 moreShow fewer
People named Alvan
- Alvan Graham ClarkAmerican astronomer1832–1897
- Alvan AdamsAmerican basketball playerborn 1954
- Alvan ClarkAmerican astronomer and artist (1804-1887)
- Alvan Wentworth ChapmanAmerican botanist and physician (1809–1899)
- Alvan T. FullerAmerican politician (1878-1958)
- Alvan IkokuNigerian politician1900–1971
- Alvan FisherAmerican artist (1792-1863)
- Alvan FlandersAmerican politician (1825-1894)
- Alvan E. BovayAmerican politician (1818–1903)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Alvan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Urban
“city-dweller” · “from the city”
>99% boys
Oran
“surrounded by light” · “a pale-skinned man”
>99% boys
Elwin
“a friend of the elves”
>99% boys
Arlan
“a solemn, binding promise”
>99% boys
Arlon
>99% boys
Armond
“of the army; a soldier”
>99% boys
Elvin
“a friend of the elves”
>99% boys
Elwyn
“a friend of the elves”
81% boys · 19% girls