Alan

[schroedingersdodo]

What do you think of it? What do you expect from an Alan?

Not to my taste, but a perfectly good name.

I'd expect an Alan to be a reliable, dependable sort. And possibly Welsh (Alun).

I like the name very much, I like Al as well as a shortened version.

Honestly?

I'd expect them to be dull. Quite clever, but not much sparkle.

Sorry.

(Akin to Malcolm)

hmm... I've met a variety of Alans - varying from the rather sweet mild-mannered clever fellow with floppy hair, to the shaven-headed thick-as-mince gobshite - so it depends on which of them occurs to me first.

All the Alans I know are over 40 - so the name will be underused for babies - lots of people will know a few Alans with good and bad associations - these Alans will be dad and granddad ages.

It's not a retro name that's back in fashion like Alfie, Archie, etc., and because it's not in fashion people are going to assume little Alan is 40 years older than he is.

There are a few spellings: Alan, Allan, Allen (I think the double 'l' versions are surnames used as firstnames), Alun and possibly others but I can't bring any to mind just now.

As with all baby names, if you really like it, and you think it will be okay in the playground, and if the initials won't spell anything undesirable, then go for it, and don't worry too much.

It reminds me of the 70s.

I picture Alan wearing flared jeans and a pink flloyd T shirt.

My Dads name is Allan so I like that it reminds me of him... but I don't like it enough as a name on its own to have used it.

I wouldn't have too many preconceived expectations from an Alan - I think it's like Peter, David, Brian, John etc, names that have been around and common enough not to invoke overly strong reactions from me.

There are some fine Alans! Rickman for eg. Cue dribbling.

I'd expect an Alan to be about 40. Sorry but its seems to old for my liking. But use it if you love it.

Love it. Hard to nn as a younger child but think its a nice, adult, name, which will serve somebody nicely.

Go for it. By the time baby Alan is 30-something and in his prime, the name will be undergoing a resurgence and it will add massively to his stock.

This is what happened to me. I have also given DS an unfashionable name on this premiss.

If names have colours, Alan is brown.

Thanks for the comments, in fact I was expecting an even worse reaction... :) I've never seen the name discussed here, and I just imagined no one liked it, but probably the reason no one uses it is, as you mentioned, that it's a bit "old", but not old enough to be retro.
I agree it will be due a comeback in about 30 years. I like the sound of it, and it fits the family names, which is hard.
Well, you all gave me food for thought, thanks again!

My dads middle name is spelt Allon.

I suggest you avoid that

"By the time baby Alan is 30-something and in his prime, the name will be undergoing a resurgence and it will add massively to his stock."

Good point. And he has the benefit of not having to share his name with lots of others while he's still small.

I know a very nice Alan as well as a less friendly one, but why should our associations matter - everyone who meets your little Alan will think of HIM when they hear his name imo.

My Alan is 4 (5 in Jan), happy outgoing lively, named for my Grandad. No-one has ever made a bad comment to me about it, but we've only ever met a couple of others at the park etc. Most people who respond when I'm at him (in shops etc) are adults

My dad's name. I've always thought it was a cool name but then he's a cool dad . I wanted to use it for dc2 but my mother banned me and dc2 is a girl anyway.

Names do have colours, Flossie (if you have synaesthesia!). Alan is orange.

It's my dad's name too! And my uncle (his brother) is called Malcolm.

I quite like it, tbh.

I have always thought Alan was blue, but now thinking about it, I guess that's because A is blue. Alan is blue and grey.
Jonas, the name of DS, is orange. And brown.

(but my name has lots of As and is not blue. Weird...)

No, no, no...Alan is def brown. But not any old brown, it's Minstrel or old Austin Allegro brown.

Jonas, on the other hand, is blue.

Alan reminds of that meerkat sketch with the meerkat standing up shouting "Alan! Alan! Alan!" voiced by Jason Manford I think.

For that reason, go for it!

I love the name. It is gorgeously Sir Walter Scott and Norman French, like Hugh and Geoffrey.

Makes me think of Ivanhoe.

My brother's an Alan and he's the best ever. I am obviously biased but I would have no hesitation. Plus it's beautifully simple.

Have to agree Jonas is blue.