Meaning & Origin
A botanical plant name author abbreviation for botanist Harry Howard Barton Allan (1882-1957).
Allan is a boy's and girl's baby name of Celtic origin, an alternate spelling of Alan, derived from the Old Celtic Alanus — possibly meaning 'handsome,' 'harmony,' or 'little rock,' though the etymology remains debated. It was carried into English usage by Breton settlers following the Norman Conquest.
Allan has been used steadily for centuries without ever dominating the charts. Allan Pinkerton, founder of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, gave it a distinctly American frontier association. The double-l spelling sets it slightly apart from the more common Alan, giving it a bit more visual weight.