Alan
Boy name · #191 in 2025 · Uniqueness 47/100
Alan is currently the #191 boy name in the United States — 1,915 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #167, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 940 boys born in 2025 was named Alan.
Babies named Alan per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 143-year story
Alan first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1955, when 9,037 boys were named Alan — good for #43 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alan in class?
Alan scores 47 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Alan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Alan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Alans were CA (318), TX (306), FL (162), NY (109), IL (79). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Alan
Statistically, parents drawn to Alan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dean, Kevin, Allen, Peter, and Martin.
DeanKevinAllenPeterMartinStevenAndrePaul
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,915 | #191 |
| 2024 | 2,188 | #167 |
| 2023 | 2,164 | #167 |
| 2022 | 2,006 | #189 |
| 2021 | 1,931 | #197 |
| 2020 | 1,966 | #194 |
| 2019 | 2,142 | #182 |
| 2018 | 2,250 | #174 |
| 2017 | 2,442 | #159 |
| 2016 | 2,630 | #155 |
| 2015 | 2,487 | #167 |
| 2014 | 2,500 | #170 |
| 2013 | 2,607 | #153 |
| 2012 | 2,285 | #170 |
| 2011 | 2,343 | #164 |
| 2010 | 2,513 | #156 |
| 2009 | 2,847 | #142 |
| 2008 | 3,027 | #135 |
| 2007 | 3,249 | #130 |
| 2006 | 3,475 | #122 |
| 2005 | 3,205 | #128 |
| 2004 | 3,062 | #132 |
| 2003 | 3,098 | #131 |
| 2002 | 2,625 | #150 |
| 2001 | 2,644 | #148 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Alan a popular boy name?
Alan ranked #191 among boys in 2025 with 1,915 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #167.
When was the name Alan most popular?
Alan peaked in 1955, when 9,037 American boys received the name (ranked #43 that year). Since 1955 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Alan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 940 newborn American boys was named Alan. It scores 47/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.