Alan (given name)
| Pronunciation | AL-an |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Scottish, Breton, English, Welsh, Irish, Kurdish, Croatian, Alan, Herm Island |
| Meaning | Rock, Little Rock, Handsome |
Usage: Scottish, Breton, English, Welsh, Ossetic, Irish, Danish, Kurdish, Croatian
Pronounced: Al-an
Alternative Spellings: Allan, Allen, Alen, Allyn, Alun, Ailín, Arlun
The name means either "little rock" or "handsome" in Breton (Brittany), and "harmony" in some Celtic languages. It may possibly have been introduced to England by Bretons after the Norman Conquest of England.
Another similarly rooted, but equally likely origin however, is from the Tribe of "Alans", a breakaway grouping of the better known Scythians/Sarmatians - a warrior people famed for their horsemanship and prowess for archery from the saddle. These Scythians - a loose collection of tribes sharing a common lifestyle but huge equestrian skills - who had been driven from their lands by the rise and inexorable movement westwards of other more aggressive nomadic peoples from the fringes of Asia via the (now Russian) steppes towards Eastern Europe and Asia minor - Initially settled around Black sea, keeping contact and trading peacefully on the outskirts of the Greek world until increasing pressure from competing tribes ultimately led to their attacking peaceful Roman provinces and led to their subjugation and ultimate (many say, wished for) assimilation by Rome.
This settling of the Sarmatian/Alan tribe of people upon the periphery of the classical Greek world would also explain the Kurdish occurrence of the Alan name, where a large body of the Alan's eventually settled. There is also a (Kurdish) village named Alan in Şemdinli which is a district located in the Hakkari Province of southeastern Turkey, this village was also on the route of the Alans during their westward movement to Europe. The extent of the Scythians, Sarmatians and ultimately their successors the Alans power and respect was vast and clearly indicated by the Cossacks of Russia, who vehemently claim to be descendants of the Alans and to have proudly retained their skills of ferocity, horsemanship and chivalry right up to the modern day.
With more specific reference to the name's occurrence in western Europe, the early Alan's had many encounters with Roman power from this initial contact and showed considerable skill in avoiding or destroying Roman armies, from Parthia (Iran) and Murcia before eventually being defeated and subjugated by Rome, whereupon a significant body of the defeated warriors were absorbed by the Romans as hostage tribute.
This was highly significant, as these highly respected Alan Heavy cavalry units were now deliberately turned to the use of the Empire, so that whilst the majority of the Alan people were subsequently accommodated by the Empire, many of their youthful and defeated warriors were now to be held hostage for up to 20 years by the Romans and stationed far from their homeland, mainly in Breton, France and northern Britain, with little hope of return. Such was the reverence within which these Alan horsemen were held by the Romans, that they were not slaughtered upon defeat as usual, but absorbed into the Roman army for their unique skills as warriors to be used for the betterment of the empire itself!
These "civilised " Alan heavy cavalry units are thought to have seen extensive action in defense of Hadrian's wall in Britain and some historians believe the vestigial presence of this renowned Alan heavy cavalry during the decline of Roman power, their probable intermarriage with the local populace and their cultural association with the origin of the knightly equine code of chivalry, may have contributed significantly to much of the mystical and legendary traditions of mediaeval Europe and in particular that of the Arthurian legends of Britain and Breton (France).
It is possible that the extensive use of the name Alan in the English speaking world was due to both the Breton (Norman) influence but also an even earlier presence which may have existed from the 1st and 2nd AD and in turn have led to the development of the more prevalent Allen/Allan form encountered today within England & Scotland and its many derivatives beyond.
In the modern world, the name Alan was particularly popular among American parents in the early to mid-20th century, and is very widely used in Ireland and Britain. Allen is an English spelling of the name, Allan a Scottish English spelling, Ailean a Scottish Gaelic spelling and Ailín the Irish version. The Welsh spelling Alun is rarely used outside of Wales, and the name is occasionally seen spelled Alyn, Welsh pronunciation is different (pronounced Alin). The name is also used as a surname, usually spelled Allen or Ó hAilín in Irish. Related surnames include Alanson, Allanshaw, and Allenby.
Forms in other languages of Alan include Alain in French and Alano in Spanish.