Alan

Last seen for girls in 2018 at #15,682 · #191 for boys in 2025, 1,915 births
Given to boys 99.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1951 · 8,408 births
Debut · boys
6 births
In top 100 · boys
34 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
363,313
since 1882

Alan over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201947peak #40, 1951boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#1911,915
2024—#1672,188
2023—#1672,164
2022—#1892,006
2021—#1971,931
2020—#1941,966
2019—#1822,142
2018#15,6825#1742,250
2017#15,9025#1592,442
2016#16,2155#1552,630
2015#8,44713#1672,487
2014#10,9559#1702,500
2013#11,0009#1532,607
2012#9,10912#1702,285
2011#11,1819#1642,343
2010—#1562,513
2009#13,7047#1422,847
2008—#1353,027
2007#12,6768#1303,249
2006#15,1526#1223,475
2005#8,33013#1283,205
2004#6,76817#1323,062
2003#6,57617#1313,098
2002#12,1877#1502,625
2001#12,0567#1482,644
2000#8,02712#1612,415
1999#10,3458#1642,249
1998#14,1225#1612,138
1997#10,8367#1582,177
1996#8,8129#1432,447
1995#8,7669#1532,293
1994#8,8049#1442,435
1993#7,49811#1322,564
1992#6,00815#1292,606
1991#5,65916#1282,545
1990#5,83515#1262,640
1989#5,54515#1202,733
1988#5,06516#1102,754
1987#3,52425#1122,586
1986#3,89021#1072,648
1985#4,12619#1092,684
1984#3,99019#1052,702
1983#5,14813#1022,771
1982#4,71615#1072,687
1981#6,8049#1122,589
1980#3,85320#1122,671
1979#5,75111#1162,322
1978#4,93113#1222,122
1977#4,65214#1262,134
1976#3,54019#1152,186
1975#4,14115#1152,248
1974#4,72012#1182,231
1973#4,15514#1152,269
1972#5,4809#1102,580
1971#3,94315#993,168
1970#2,93823#913,553
1969#3,31817#763,852
1968#2,87420#743,976
1967#3,48414#614,572
1966#4,19810#574,943
1965#3,05017#595,612
1964#2,53024#536,810
1963#2,61922#566,935
1962#2,26428#537,719
1961#2,60822#518,617
1960#2,64921#508,356
1959#2,76018#508,151
1958#3,23214#498,226
1957#2,72718#488,208
1956#3,49312#448,734
1955#2,97115#439,037
1954#3,01914#438,711
1953#3,48011#438,454
1952#3,20112#428,310
1951#2,69415#408,408
1950#2,90913#417,737
1949#2,72614#457,255
1948#3,35010#467,394
1947#2,27919#457,823
1946#3,9947#496,490
1945#3,1329#525,073
1944#3,3788#554,277
1943#4,6915#673,855
1942#3,7387#813,134
1941#4,4205#842,624
1940#3,8636#882,377
1939#3,7826#852,330
1938—#912,241
1937—#1031,846
1936—#1081,755
1935—#1221,425
1934—#1241,369
1933#3,4067#1221,345
1932#3,2748#1271,339
1931#4,3315#1201,423
1930#3,0559#1361,301
1929#3,3948#1461,101
1928#3,7437#157964
1927#3,8757#178808
1926#4,8515#174836
1925—#179804
1924—#217625
1923—#221588
1922—#256479
1921#5,0995#289375
1920—#263433
1919—#299330
1918—#302333
1917—#299310
1916—#338251
1915—#346238
1914—#344184
1913—#321158
1912—#381102
1911—#37955
1910—#32159
1909—#34845
1908—#42931
1907—#35938
1906—#41128
1905—#46323
1904—#37929
1903—#39325
1902—#38027
1901—#42220
1900—#43027
1899—#48116
1898—#57314
1897—#43819
1896—#59213
1895—#42621
1894—#63111
1893—#57212
1892—#48017
1891—#6359
1890—#56612
1889—#62810
1888—#9176
1887—#9215
1886—#9595
1885—#60410
1884—#6639
1883——
1882—#8376
1881——
1880——
First appearance
1882

The first year at least five boys were named Alan! It came in at #837, and was given to 6 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1883, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.

Where Alan is popular in 1947

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Alan, so not publishedAKMaine: #34 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 149 boysMEVermont: #30 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 99 boysVTNew Hampshire: #25 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 94 boysNHWashington: #40 for boys · 163 births · 1 in 169 boysWAIdaho: #36 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 155 boysIDMontana: #56 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 270 boysMTNorth Dakota: #38 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 169 boysNDMinnesota: #38 for boys · 193 births · 1 in 181 boysMNIllinois: #33 for boys · 589 births · 1 in 158 boysILWisconsin: #38 for boys · 228 births · 1 in 171 boysWIMichigan: #38 for boys · 406 births · 1 in 188 boysMINew York: #28 for boys · 1,294 births · 1 in 122 boysNYMassachusetts: #26 for boys · 443 births · 1 in 118 boysMARhode Island: #29 for boys · 67 births · 1 in 126 boysRIOregon: #36 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 168 boysORNevada: #45 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 175 boysNVWyoming: #33 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 149 boysWYSouth Dakota: #48 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 247 boysSDIowa: #40 for boys · 167 births · 1 in 181 boysIAIndiana: #42 for boys · 199 births · 1 in 227 boysINOhio: #43 for boys · 409 births · 1 in 232 boysOHPennsylvania: #47 for boys · 488 births · 1 in 243 boysPANew Jersey: #29 for boys · 359 births · 1 in 138 boysNJConnecticut: #26 for boys · 163 births · 1 in 129 boysCTCalifornia: #45 for boys · 569 births · 1 in 210 boysCAUtah: #30 for boys · 84 births · 1 in 118 boysUTColorado: #46 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 227 boysCONebraska: #37 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 197 boysNEMissouri: #57 for boys · 150 births · 1 in 291 boysMOKentucky: #121 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 723 boysKYWest Virginia: #89 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 524 boysWVVirginia: #108 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 599 boysVAMaryland: #49 for boys · 110 births · 1 in 233 boysMDDelaware: #44 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 193 boysDEArizona: #93 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 383 boysAZNew Mexico: #125 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 528 boysNMKansas: #36 for boys · 110 births · 1 in 183 boysKSArkansas: #149 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 961 boysARTennessee: #109 for boys · 65 births · 1 in 647 boysTNNorth Carolina: #114 for boys · 81 births · 1 in 658 boysNCSouth Carolina: #164 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 1,028 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #33 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 174 boysDCOklahoma: #72 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 346 boysOKLouisiana: #129 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 667 boysLAMississippi: #203 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,458 boysMSAlabama: #157 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 974 boysALGeorgia: #129 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 726 boysGAHawaii: #22 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 96 boysHITexas: #132 for boys · 148 births · 1 in 663 boysTXFlorida: #65 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 327 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Hawaii#22 · 1 in 96
  2. New Hampshire#25 · 1 in 94
  3. Massachusetts#26 · 1 in 118
  4. Connecticut#26 · 1 in 129
  5. New York#28 · 1 in 122

Best ever in a state: #14 in Hawaii, 1946.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Hawaii#22641 in 96
New Hampshire#25641 in 94
Connecticut#261631 in 129
Massachusetts#264431 in 118
New York#281,2941 in 122
New Jersey#293591 in 138
Rhode Island#29671 in 126
Utah#30841 in 118
Vermont#30401 in 99
District of Columbia#33721 in 174
Illinois#335891 in 158
Wyoming#33191 in 149
Maine#34721 in 149
Idaho#36441 in 155
Kansas#361101 in 183
Oregon#361011 in 168
Nebraska#37741 in 197
Michigan#384061 in 188
Minnesota#381931 in 181
North Dakota#38441 in 169
Wisconsin#382281 in 171
Iowa#401671 in 181
Washington#401631 in 169
Indiana#421991 in 227
Ohio#434091 in 232
Delaware#44171 in 193
California#455691 in 210
Nevada#4591 in 175
Colorado#46681 in 227
Pennsylvania#474881 in 243
South Dakota#48291 in 247
Maryland#491101 in 233
Montana#56241 in 270
Missouri#571501 in 291
Florida#65881 in 327
Oklahoma#72721 in 346
West Virginia#89501 in 524
Arizona#93241 in 383
Virginia#108641 in 599
Tennessee#109651 in 647
North Carolina#114811 in 658
Kentucky#121521 in 723
New Mexico#125171 in 528
Georgia#129621 in 726
Louisiana#129511 in 667
Texas#1321481 in 663
Arkansas#149251 in 961
Alabama#157411 in 974
South Carolina#164281 in 1,028
Mississippi#203201 in 1,458
Alaska———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Alan
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 24 spots since 2024 (#167 → #191)
  • 3 spots since 2020 (#194 → #191)
  • 24 spots since 2015 (#167 → #191)
  • Biggest jump: 289 spots in 1889 (#917 → #628)
  • Biggest drop: 355 spots in 1886 (#604 → #959)
Rise & fade · boys
69 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1882
  • Peaked 1951 at #40 (8,408 births)
  • Births halved by 1968, 17 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 34 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 34 yrs · run 1938–1971
  • Top 1,000: 143 yrs · run 1884–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 224
  • Highest: 1 in 224 boys born in 1951 were named Alan (0.45%)
  • Latest: 1 in 892 boys born in 2025 (0.11%)
Era · boys
The 1950s
  • 23.1% of all boys named Alan (83,976) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s51#604 (1885)#790
1890s144#426 (1895)#539
1900s293#348 (1909)#401
1910s2,020#299 (1919)#333
1920s7,013#146 (1929)#208
1930s16,374#85 (1939)#114
1940s50,302#45 (1947)#61
1950s83,976#40 (1951)#44
1960s61,392#50 (1960)#59
1970s24,813#91 (1970)#113
1980s26,825#102 (1983)#110
1990s24,094#126 (1990)#144
2000s29,647#122 (2006)#138
2010s24,199#153 (2013)#165
2020s12,170#167 (2024)#184

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Alan in 1947

girls
#2,279
19 births · 1 in 93,303 girls
boys
#45
7,823 births · 1 in 234 boys

Top girls' names in 1947

  1. #1Linda99,692
  2. #2Mary71,690
  3. #3Patricia51,278
  4. #4Barbara48,800
  5. #5Sandra34,779
  6. #6Carol33,543
  7. #7Nancy32,445
  8. #8Susan31,952
  9. #9Sharon28,533
  10. #10Donna23,517
  11. #2,279Alan19

Top boys' names in 1947

  1. #1James94,767
  2. #2Robert91,655
  3. #3John88,324
  4. #4William67,002
  5. #5Richard58,532
  6. #6David57,810
  7. #7Michael50,506
  8. #8Thomas44,842
  9. #9Charles40,781
  10. #10Larry34,946
  11. #45Alan7,823
More about 1947

girls

1,772,766 girls got a published name in 1947; 1 in 93,303 of them was named Alan, which outranked 62.7% of the 6,104 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 25.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Alan
  1. #2,200Valencia20
  2. #2,200Vanetta20
  3. #2,200Verdie20
  4. #2,279Alan19
  5. #2,279Alejandra19
  6. #2,279Alfreida19
  7. #2,279Alinda19
  8. #2,354Adelita18
  9. #2,354Alba18
  10. #2,354Arbutus18

Tied with 74 names at #2,279; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1946
Risers
  1. ↑ 417Michaele#1,276 → #859
  2. ↑ 385Carlotta#997 → #612
  3. ↑ 332Ricki#1,290 → #958
  4. ↑ 300Daria#1,220 → #920
  5. ↑ 290Ivy#1,087 → #797
Fallers
  1. ↓ 341Merlene#961 → #1,302
  2. ↓ 285Beatriz#985 → #1,270
  3. ↓ 276Ruthanne#874 → #1,150
  4. ↓ 253Estela#897 → #1,150
  5. ↓ 242Verla#885 → #1,127

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,829,599 boys got a published name in 1947; 1 in 234 of them was named Alan, which outranked 98.9% of the 4,266 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Alan
  1. #42Willie7,997
  2. #43Joe7,904
  3. #44Jimmy7,881
  4. #45Alan7,823
  5. #46Henry7,807
  6. #47Mark7,773
  7. #48Roy7,560
Biggest movers since 1946
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,271Brock#2,271 → #1,000
  2. ↑ 586Shawn#1,509 → #923
  3. ↑ 500Jed#1,475 → #975
  4. ↑ 358Jody#935 → #577
  5. ↑ 355Deryl#1,355 → #1,000
Fallers
  1. ↓ 497Hurley#952 → #1,449
  2. ↓ 393Prentice#878 → #1,271
  3. ↓ 362Darvin#935 → #1,297
  4. ↓ 310Lary#826 → #1,136
  5. ↓ 303Judith#856 → #1,159

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1947 →