Where does the name Alan come from?

Alan is a boy name of Breton origin.

Is Alan a boy or a girl name?

Alan is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Alan are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Alan in 2023?

Alan ranks #167 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1955 with 9,052 babies.

How do you pronounce Alan?

Alan is pronounced AL-an (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Alan?

Alan is also written as Allan, Allen, Alain.

A name from Breton · Boy

Alan

A Breton name brought to England by William the Conqueror's Breton allies after 1066. The original meaning is debated — proposals include "rock," "handsome," and "harmony."

Compare

Popularity over time

A 141-year arc in numbers.

359,210 U.S. births recorded from 1882–2023.

Popularity · 1882–2023

2,164 births in 2023

1882 1952 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

AA Breton name brought to England by William the Conqueror's Breton allies after 1066. The original meaning is debated — proposals include "rock," "handsome," and "harmony."

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Alan".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Allan Most common Allen Alain

Quick answers

People often ask about Alan.

What does the name Alan mean?: Alan means a Breton name brought to England by William the Conqueror's Breton allies after 1066. The original meaning is debated — proposals include "rock," "handsome," and "harmony.".
Where does the name Alan come from?: Alan is a boy name of Breton origin.
Is Alan a boy or a girl name?: Alan is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Alan are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Alan in 2023?: Alan ranks #167 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1955 with 9,052 babies.
How do you pronounce Alan?: Alan is pronounced AL-an (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Alan?: Alan is also written as Allan, Allen, Alain.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.