Allan
A male given name from the Celtic languages, a less common spelling of Alan.
Every Allan since 1880 — 96,711 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Allan
Allan is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,013 in 2025 with 223 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 96,711 American babies have been named Allan. Its peak came in 1947, when 2,192 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Allan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Allan year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 223 | #1,013 |
| 2024 | — | — | 283 | #857 |
| 2023 | — | — | 302 | #813 |
| 2022 | — | — | 301 | #824 |
| 2021 | — | — | 283 | #840 |
| 2020 | — | — | 278 | #826 |
| 2019 | — | — | 280 | #813 |
| 2018 | — | — | 294 | #782 |
| 2017 | — | — | 301 | #777 |
| 2016 | — | — | 329 | #742 |
| 2015 | — | — | 392 | #659 |
| 2014 | — | — | 333 | #723 |
| 2013 | — | — | 370 | #656 |
| 2012 | — | — | 340 | #695 |
| 2011 | — | — | 350 | #675 |
| 2010 | — | — | 403 | #614 |
| 2009 | — | — | 471 | #561 |
| 2008 | — | — | 478 | #551 |
| 2007 | — | — | 506 | #518 |
| 2006 | — | — | 514 | #504 |
| 2005 | — | — | 555 | #461 |
| 2004 | — | — | 588 | #444 |
| 2003 | — | — | 625 | #412 |
| 2002 | — | — | 495 | #477 |
| 2001 | — | — | 489 | #483 |
| 2000 | — | — | 485 | #483 |
| 1995 | — | — | 539 | #422 |
| 1990 | — | — | 605 | #384 |
| 1985 | 6 | #9,340 | 519 | #356 |
| 1980 | — | — | 538 | #343 |
| 1975 | — | — | 575 | #313 |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,085 | 810 | #267 |
| 1965 | — | — | 1,094 | #219 |
| 1960 | 6 | #5,708 | 1,472 | #197 |
| 1955 | — | — | 1,841 | #157 |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,327 | 1,891 | #142 |
| 1945 | — | — | 1,582 | #137 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,509 | 1,608 | #115 |
| 1935 | — | — | 1,015 | #150 |
| 1930 | — | — | 985 | #155 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,038 | 719 | #193 |
| 1920 | — | — | 535 | #235 |
| 1915 | — | — | 441 | #227 |
| 1910 | — | — | 82 | #270 |
| 1905 | — | — | 48 | #284 |
| 1900 | — | — | 64 | #254 |
| 1895 | — | — | 22 | #415 |
| 1890 | — | — | 37 | #282 |
| 1885 | — | — | 19 | #411 |
| 1880 | — | — | 20 | #381 |
Famous people named Allan
- Allan Kardec Occultist · 1804–1869
- Allan Pinkerton Writer · 1819–1884
- Allan Simonsen Soccer player · b. 1952
- Allan MacLeod Cormack Physicist · 1924–1998
- Allan Kaprow Painter · 1927–2006
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Allan mean?
A male given name from the Celtic languages, a less common spelling of Alan.
How popular is the name Allan in 2025?
Allan ranked #1,013 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 223 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Allan?
96,711 babies have been named Allan in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Allan most popular?
Allan peaked in 1947, when 2,192 newborns received the name.
Is Allan a boy or girl name?
Allan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Allan rising or falling?
Allan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Allan?
Well-known people named Allan include Allan Kardec (occultist), Allan Pinkerton (writer), Allan Simonsen (soccer player).