alan

Meanings

1. Alternative form of alaunt.

1. A male given name from the Celtic languages.
2. A surname.

1. A member of a group of Sarmatian tribes, nomadic pastoralists of the 1st millennium AD who spoke an Eastern Iranian language derived from Scytho-Sarmatian and which in turn evolved into modern Ossetian.

1. A male given name from Hebrew, variant of Elon.

1. Initialism of artificial light at night.

Etymology

From Old Breton Alan, name of early Breton saints, of disputed origin and meaning; brought to England by Normans. It may have been the name of a Celtic deity, the brother of Bran, Welsh Alawn, Alun. As an early Irish name, perhaps connected with ail (“noble”). Compare French Alain.