Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Allen

Allen is an alternate spelling of Alan and is generally regarded as the typical surname spelling. The name came to the British Isles the same way Alan did – from Brittany, an area of northwest France that is distinctly Celtic in origin. The Normans brought Alan to the British Isles by way of the Norman Conquest. The name’s Celtic etymology comes from the word “alp, ail” meaning ‘rock’ which can also be found in the modern Irish “ailín” meaning ‘little rock.’ The surname Allen developed from this Irish-Gaelic word (the Gaels being a sect of the Celts). It is a surname shared by people of England, Scotland and Ireland (making it one of the more widespread last names). William the Conqueror’s army at the Battle of Hastings (1066) was largely comprised of men from Brittany. One of his finest allies, Alan, the Earl of Brittany, was awarded large swaths of land in England for his participation (and so he served to popularize the usage of his name). Alan (French: Alain; Welsh: Alun) and Allan/Allen have always been fairly popular names in Brittany and on the British Isles since medieval times. However, today, Ireland is the only English-speaking country where Alan remains a Top 100 choice as a boy’s first name. The surname spelling of Allen as a given name is more distinct to North America.

All About the Baby Name – Allen

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME ALLEN

The number Eight personality has everything to do with power, wealth and abundance. Somehow, this personality has been blessed on the material plane, but their authoritative and problem-solving traits provide evidence that their good fortunes are not just the luck of the lottery. They are well earned. This is the personality of CEOs and high-ranking military personnel. Eights are intensely active, hard-driving individuals. Success is only meaningful to them after a job well-done.  They are remarkable in their ability to see the larger picture right down to the smallest details, and organize a strategy around success. They then have the ability to direct a group around them toward any goal, and realize individual potential to get the most out of their team.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME ALLEN

Allen has been a hugely successful masculine first name in 20th century America. He was generally a Top 100 favorite from the late 1880s all the way through 1970. The name has fallen from usage most substantially in the 1990s and into the 21st century. Today, Allen has become a name of fairly moderate usage (given to about 1,000 baby boys per year). The spelling of Alan is still the most popular (150% more popular than Allen, in fact). Famous Americans who have borne the name Allen include the Beat Generation poet Irwin “Allen” Ginsberg and the genius director Woody Allen (whose birth name is Allen Stewart Konigsberg). Some pretty impressive namesakes we’d say, not to mention Allen Iverson the basketball star. Whether you prefer the spelling Alan or Allen, the meaning is still the same. Rock solid.

Quick Facts

ON ALLEN

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Celtic

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

349

PRONUNCIATION:

AL-әn

SIMPLE MEANING:

Rock

Characteristics

OF ALLEN

Authoritative

Powerful

Tough

Tenacious

Wealthy

Problem-solver

Achiever

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Allen

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME ALLEN

Edgar Allen Poe wrote two different poems titled “To Helen”; the first was in 1831 (later revised in 1845) and the second was written in 1848. The first “Helen” poem was in homage to the mother of a childhood friend and celebrated the beauty and nurturing power of women. It reads in part: “On desperate seas long wont to roam, / Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face, / Thy Naiad airs have brought me home / To the glory that was Greece, / And the grandeur that was Rome.” Poe’s second Helen poem was written for a love interest of his named Sarah Helen Whitman and recounts the first time he laid eyes on her strolling under the moonlight. In the poem the garden roses where she walked smiled and were “enchanted by thee, and by the poetry by thy presence” When the moon finally “sank from sight” Poe goes on about Helen’s eyes: “Only thine eyes remained; / They would not go – they never yet have gone; / Lighting my lonely pathway home that night, / They have not left me (as my hopes have) since; / They follow me- they lead me through the years.”

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME ALLEN

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Allen


Popular Songs

ON ALLEN

Barbara Allen
a song by The Everly Brothers

Allen Hotel
a song by the Adolescents

Famous People

NAMED ALLEN

Allen Ginsberg (poet)
Allen Ezail Iverson (basketball player)
Allen Stewart Konigsberg (aka Woody Allen)

Children of Famous People

NAMED ALLEN

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Allen

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME ALLEN

No, we're not talking about the furniture store. Ethan Allen was an actual historical figure dating back to the 1700's. He is most notable as the leader of the "Green Mountain Boys", a group of Vermont patriots who fought valiantly in the American Revolutionary war.