Allan

“Variant of Alan — Origin disputed; possibly linked to a word for noble” — Old Breton origin

Boy's name · #1013 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Allan holds its lane: charted since 1880 and rarely far from where it stands today (#1013 in 2025). About 96,000 boys have carried it along the way. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records. Together with its spelling variants Alan (#191) and Allen (#578), Allan would rank around #137 with about 2,600 births last year — the newborns split about 73/19/8 across Alan, Allen, and Allan.

Around the world: about 1 in 600 boys in Sweden (2025) · about 1 in 3,900 boys in Norway (2025) · about 1 in 6,900 boys in Canada (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 19 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Allans

Allan McLeod Cormack — American physicist (1924-1998)
Allan Kardec — systematizer of Spiritism (1804–1869)
Allan Simonsen — Danish footballer
Allan Hume — British Ornithologist and Founder of the Indian National Congress (1829–1912)
Allan — Brazilian association football player (born 1991)

In stories & tradition

Allan Quatermain — King Solomon's Mines · Allan Quatermain
Allan (Eddie Brock) — Web of Spider-Man
Allan Thompson — The Adventures of Tintin

What Allans become

Among 2,140 notable people named Allan:

Sports figures appear 1.42× more often than among typical names — e.g. Allan Simonsen, Danish footballer.

Similar names: Alan · Gordon · Alvin · Frankie · Melvin · Alfonso

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service