Alain
Boy name · #2849 in 2025 · Very rare
Alain ranks #2849 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 44 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2300, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 40,909 boys born in 2025 was named Alain.
The 83-year story
Alain first appears in the Social Security records in 1942, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1988, when 92 boys were named Alain — good for #1023 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Alain per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alain against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alain in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alain is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Alain will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Alain is most common
State-level data for Alain is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Alain
Statistically, parents drawn to Alain tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Efrain, Fermin, Antwan, Tyron, and Anibal.
EfrainFerminAntwanTyronAnibalJaminSerafinAmmon
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alain | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 44 | #2833 |
| 2024 | 37 | #3216 |
| 2023 | 51 | #2575 |
| 2022 | 49 | #2675 |
| 2021 | 47 | #2695 |
| 2020 | 48 | #2617 |
| 2019 | 49 | #2626 |
| 2018 | 61 | #2230 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2345 |
| 2016 | 55 | #2365 |
| 2015 | 57 | #2300 |
| 2014 | 51 | #2461 |
| 2013 | 74 | #1903 |
| 2012 | 64 | #2104 |
| 2011 | 63 | #2105 |
| 2010 | 54 | #2354 |
| 2009 | 57 | #2287 |
| 2008 | 61 | #2186 |
| 2007 | 68 | #2034 |
| 2006 | 73 | #1856 |
| 2005 | 72 | #1801 |
| 2004 | 60 | #1989 |
| 2003 | 81 | #1561 |
| 2002 | 63 | #1817 |
| 2001 | 67 | #1710 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Alain a popular boy name?
Alain ranked #2849 among boys in 2025 with 44 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2300.
When was the name Alain most popular?
Alain peaked in 1988, when 92 American boys received the name (ranked #1023 that year). Since 1988 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Alain?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 40,909 newborn American boys was named Alain. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.