Allan peaked in 1947 and carries 96,230 SSA records — a substantial generational legacy. It's a spelling variant of Alan and Allen, all three derived from the same Celtic root, and the choice between them has historically tracked geography, cultural tradition, and occasionally nothing more than parental preference for one vowel pattern over another.
Celtic Origins and the Three Spellings
Allan, Alan, and Allen all derive from the Celtic name Ailin or Alan, whose precise meaning is debated — possibly "little rock," possibly "harmony," possibly a Breton tribal name. The name spread through Norman French influence after the Conquest of 1066 and became common across England, Scotland, and Wales. Allan with double-L was particularly common in Scottish usage and among Scots-Irish families in America — which helps explain its strong mid-century American presence as immigrant communities established naming traditions.
The 1947 Peak and Its Generation
Allan's 1947 peak places it in the early postwar baby boom generation — children born to parents who survived the war and were naming sons in a moment of national reconstruction and optimism. The name shares this generational space with Alan Turing (1912-1954), the mathematician and computing pioneer; Alan Shepard, the first American in space; and Allen Ginsberg, the Beat Generation poet. Three spellings, three cultural registers, one underlying name.
Counter-Reading: The Spelling Confusion
The existence of Alan and Allen as equal-frequency variants means Allan will be spelled wrong by virtually everyone who hasn't checked. It's not the "standard" spelling to most American eyes , Alan is. If the double-L has family significance, it's absolutely worth keeping. If it's simply one of three options, it's worth knowing that your son will spend his life correcting the spelling more often than users of the other two variants. Check the 1940s name decade for where Allan sits historically.