# Which variation of this name is most common to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636 "2014-07-08T14:31:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/1 "2014-07-08T14:31:53Z")
Said another way, of the people you know of with the name what’s the most common spelling? Anonymous poll on the way… ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/2 "2014-07-08T14:37:33Z")
All are familiar to me, and none would be weird (Allyn, the least familiar to me, is my own stepson’s middle name), but “Alan” is the one I default to as the “normal” spelling. But they’re all common enough that I would ask someone how to spell his name if that were it, rather than assume. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/3 "2014-07-08T14:37:54Z")
For the record, I’d think of “Allen” as a last name before I thought of it as a first name. That shouldn’t stop anybody though since it’s a nice as a first name regardless. “Alan” is the only spelling I have thus far come across in real life for the first name. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/4 "2014-07-08T14:42:16Z")
Alan “Allen” strikes me more as a surname. “Allyn” is a girl’s name (only IMO of course). ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/5 "2014-07-08T14:54:28Z")
My husband’s middle name is Alan, so that’s what I put on our wedding invitations. I received a phone call from his mother, who was upset that his name was spelled incorrectly. His middle name was really Allen, and when I told him, he was shocked. His driver’s license and Social Security card were all Alan. Luckily it hasn’t been a problem other than trying to explain to his mother that he didn’t know his middle name. So I am very familiar with two of the spellings. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/6 "2014-07-08T14:56:57Z")
Alan because, well, it is my middle name. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/7 "2014-07-08T15:03:50Z")
Great, now I’m going to have that video of voice-dubbed animals in my head all day, with the Prairie dog standing there yelling “Alan! Alan! Alan! Alan! Alan!” ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/8 "2014-07-08T15:05:05Z")
Alan for the first time, by miles. I’ve met tons of Alans in my life and never knowingly met anyone with their name spelt the other ways you mentioned. I’ve met a few Aluns though - you missed that one. That’s the Welsh spelling and isn’t that uncommon in certain parts of England as well as, obviously, Wales, but it probably never caught on in the US. For surnames Allen would be the most common one, I think. I’ve certainly known a few. Allan would also be completely unexceptional. Allyn stands out to me as an unusual way of spelling the name; I would not pronounce that the same way as I would all the others. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/9 "2014-07-08T15:07:29Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Great, now I’m going to have that video of voice-dubbed animals in my head all day, with the Prairie dog standing there yelling “Alan! Alan! Alan! Alan! Alan!” Bravo, Dude! Is that not very close to THE funniest video? ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/10 "2014-07-08T15:34:29Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Alan because, well, it is my middle name. No it’s not because Allen is MY middle name. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/11 "2014-07-08T15:38:51Z")
At this stage Allan isn’t getting much love. Other than [Allan “Rocky” Lane (I) (1909–1973)](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0485226/?ref_=nv_sr_1), I can’t name one offhand. Can you? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/12 "2014-07-08T16:18:25Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > No it’s not because Allen is MY middle name. Are you both sure it isn’t your last name? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/13 "2014-07-08T16:27:39Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Alan because, well, it is my middle name. > [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > No it’s not because Allen is MY middle name. Alan is my middle name, and I _still_ voted Allen. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/14 "2014-07-08T16:33:49Z")
I wonder if there’s an Alan Allan Allen somewhere, but am afraid to Google for it! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/15 "2014-07-08T16:37:37Z")
I can call you Betty and Betty you can call me Al. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/16 "2014-07-08T17:11:14Z")
I searched my company directory of approximately 7,000 employees: Alan - 21 Allen - 10 Allan - 3 Allyn - 0 I had a (girl) friend in high school whose middle name was Alyn. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/17 "2014-07-08T17:26:23Z")
It’s deep enough in the thread that most likely few will notice it, but rather than starting another thread, I’ll just ask it here, and if you think it’s worth the trouble maybe you can start another thread about it: All that being said: What’s another name like Alan/Allan/Allen that works for any place in a name? And that’s without relying on adding an “s” to it, like Peter Peters, or sticking a -son on the end of it. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/18 "2014-07-08T17:46:11Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > What’s another name like Alan/Allan/Allen that works for any place in a name? And that’s without relying on adding an “s” to it, like Peter Peters, or sticking a -son on the end of it. Tons. Just off the top of my head: Lee Murphy George John James Brady Bradley Dawson Paul Reed Tucker Winston Connor Grady Simon Owen Logan Morton Lloyd Allison Page Clay Randall Anthony Bruce Baxter Glenn Walter Jordan Wayne Wilson Martin Clark Scott Nelson Stewart Bailey Ross Perry Russell Wallace Cole Ellis Henry Warren Gordon Grant Pierce Ray Duncan Riley Austin Ryan Kim Dean Terry Wade Neal Horton Lucas Miles Craig Fletcher Tate Blair Reese Quinn Floyd ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/19 "2014-07-08T17:55:51Z")
My hat is off to you, **DCnDC** , for seeing that better-late-than-never post and for providing such an amazing reply! Remember [Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez (1925–2006)](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0327602/?ref_=nv_sr_1) (who went by just Gonzalez Gonzalez), by any chance? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636/20 "2014-07-08T18:05:49Z")
Alan seems to be the most common variation I see aside from my family. Allan is a family name, so I see it spelled like that quite a bit, including my grandfather, son and several cousins (some first names, some middle names). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-variation-of-this-name-is-most-common-to-you/692636.md?page=2)