Baby Name of the Day: Alan

The baby name Alan briefly returned to the spotlight following the Barbie movie. But is this name due for a comeback?

Thanks to Marlie for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME ALAN MEAN?

We typically give Alan the meaning “little rock.” In Gaelic or Old Irish, ail means rock or boulder. The -an ending is common in Irish names. (Think Aidan, Ryan, and Ronan to name just a few.) 

Alternately, it could come from an Iranian people, known by the tribal name of the Alans. They migrated into Europe around Brittany during the 4th and 5th centuries. 

The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources links it to an Old Welsh and Old Breton word meaning deer.

It’s first heard as the French name Alain. 

It became the baby name Alan, but also the surname Allen or Allan. Now all spellings – along with more – are used as firsts. 

STRAIGHT OUT OF BRITTANY

Alan became a popular choice during the Middle Ages, especially in Brittany.

That’s down to a saint. Alain served as Bishop of Quimper circa the 5th, 6th, or possibly 7th centuries. Little is known of his life, but he was a popular figure in the era and his name caught on. 

Breton followers of William the Conqueror brought Alain to England with the Norman Conquest in 1066, where it became Alan. 

Other saints Alan followed. 

ALLEN AND OTHERS

In addition to surnames spellings Allen and Allan, there’s also:

• Alun, the name of a Welsh river. It’s also spelled Alyn.
• Alyn and Allyn are sometimes used as feminine forms, along with Alana, Ailin, Alin, Alina, and maybe even Allie.
• Alain remains the French form, sometimes heard in English, like writer Alain de Botton or French actorAlain Delon.

In the US, the mid-20th century marks peak usage. Circa 1950, both Alan and Allen ranked in the US Top 100, with Allan not far behind. That makes pinning down the name’s exact popularity a challenge.

FAMOUS FIGURES

Of course, peak Alan also meant lots of men by the name, including:

• American actor Alan Alda, as well as British actor Alan Rickman. More recently, The Bear star Jeremy Allen White keeps the name in the spotlight.
• Astronaut Alan Shepard was the first American in space.
• British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing is remembered for helping solve the Engima machine during World War II. 
• Country music gives us singer Alan Jackson.

Fictional uses abound, too:

•  In the original 1996 Jumanji movie, Robin Williams played main character Alan Parrish.
• Jurassic Park gave us Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill in the original movies.
• Alan Matthews was the dad on tv seriesBoy Meets World in the 1990s.
• Two and a Half Men included Jon Cryer as Alan Harper, dad to Jake.
• James Spader played Alan Shore on Boston Legal.
• Most recently, Michael Cera was Allan in the Barbie movie.

The Barbie doll line has included plenty of other characters over the years. Allan Sherwood existed for just two short years, but the movie put Allan back on our radar. 

HOW POPULAR IS THE BABY NAME ALLEN?

In terms of popularity, the baby name Alan remains stuck in style limbo. 

As a baby boy name, Alan ranks #167 in the US as of 2024 – a respectable number, but in the same range for more than a decade.

Allen ranks #537, and Allan #851.

While similar names like Callan have been style stars, the Alan family is quietly traditional but not especially trending. 

QUIET CLASSIC

That’s the power of the baby name Alan. It’s traditional, but not in the James-William-Daniel kind of way. Everybody knows it, but no one is using it. And yet, with names like Ryan, Rowan, Owen, Nolan, and Dylan in the US Top 100 for boys, why not Alan?

For parents after something low key but classic, the Alan could be the perfect name.

What do you think of the baby name Alan?