Allan is a male given name of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic name Ailean, which in turn comes from the Brythonic name Alan. The name Alan has been widely used throughout Europe for centuries and has several variations, including Allen, Allyn, Alison, Alanus, Alienor, and Eleanor.
The meaning of Allan is "little rock" or "handsome". This interpretation comes from the Brythonic word "alan", which means "rock" or "charm", combined with the diminutive suffix "-an". The name has been associated with several historical figures, such as Alan II, Duke of Brittany in the 12th century, and Allan Ramsay, a Scottish poet and playwright of the 18th century.
In Scotland, Allan was traditionally given to boys born on the Feast Day of Saint Allan (also known as Saint Alouin or Saint Alan), which is celebrated on June 24th. However, it is important to note that this feast day has no connection to the name's origin or meaning.
The popularity of Allan as a given name has varied over time and across different countries. In some periods and places, it has been quite popular, while in others, it has been less common. Today, Allan continues to be used as a given name for boys, with its popularity depending on regional and cultural trends.
In summary, Allan is a Scottish male given name that means "little rock" or "handsome". It has a long history of use throughout Europe and has been associated with several notable historical figures. Although it has traditionally been connected to the Feast Day of Saint Allan in Scotland, this association does not reflect the name's origin or meaning.
Based on the statistics provided, we can observe the trends and patterns of the given name Allan in the United States from 1880 to 2023.
In the late 19th century, the number of births with the name Allan fluctuated between 15 and 37 per year. However, starting around 1900, there was a significant increase in the popularity of the name, with over 64 births recorded that year. This trend continued into the early 20th century, reaching a peak of 221 births in 1912 and 307 births in 1914.
The popularity of the name Allan remained high throughout the 1920s and 1930s, with over 900 births recorded annually during this period. The name reached its peak popularity in the United States in 1937, with a total of 1540 births that year.
However, after the 1930s, there was a decline in the number of babies named Allan. In the 1940s and 1950s, around 1500 to 2000 babies were named Allan each year. This number continued to decrease in the following decades, with fewer than 600 births per year recorded from the late 1970s onwards.
In recent years, the popularity of the name Allan has continued to decline. Between 2010 and 2023, there were fewer than 400 births with the name Allan each year in the United States. In fact, the most recent data available shows that there were only 302 births with the name Allan in 2023.
Overall, while the name Allan was quite popular in the early to mid-20th century, its popularity has declined significantly in recent decades. Despite this decline, it remains a timeless and classic name choice for many families in the United States.