Alain
A male given name from French, equivalent to English Alan.
Every Alain since 1942 — 3,986 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alain
Alain is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,836 in 2025 with 44 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1942, 3,986 American babies have been named Alain. Its peak came in 1988, when 92 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Alain stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alain year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 44 | #2,836 |
| 2024 | — | — | 37 | #3,219 |
| 2023 | — | — | 51 | #2,579 |
| 2022 | — | — | 49 | #2,675 |
| 2021 | — | — | 47 | #2,695 |
| 2020 | — | — | 48 | #2,620 |
| 2019 | — | — | 49 | #2,627 |
| 2018 | — | — | 61 | #2,232 |
| 2017 | — | — | 55 | #2,347 |
| 2016 | — | — | 55 | #2,366 |
| 2015 | — | — | 57 | #2,301 |
| 2014 | — | — | 51 | #2,462 |
| 2013 | — | — | 74 | #1,903 |
| 2012 | — | — | 64 | #2,104 |
| 2011 | — | — | 63 | #2,105 |
| 2010 | — | — | 54 | #2,355 |
| 2009 | — | — | 57 | #2,289 |
| 2008 | — | — | 61 | #2,186 |
| 2007 | — | — | 68 | #2,036 |
| 2006 | — | — | 73 | #1,856 |
| 2005 | — | — | 72 | #1,802 |
| 2004 | — | — | 60 | #1,990 |
| 2003 | — | — | 81 | #1,562 |
| 2002 | — | — | 63 | #1,817 |
| 2001 | — | — | 67 | #1,711 |
| 2000 | — | — | 54 | #1,927 |
| 1995 | — | — | 69 | #1,430 |
| 1990 | — | — | 77 | #1,259 |
| 1985 | — | — | 83 | #998 |
| 1980 | — | — | 49 | #1,343 |
| 1975 | — | — | 50 | #1,191 |
| 1970 | — | — | 43 | #1,261 |
| 1965 | — | — | 32 | #1,360 |
| 1960 | — | — | 29 | #1,486 |
| 1955 | — | — | 15 | #2,049 |
| 1950 | — | — | 19 | #1,701 |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Alain
- Alain Delon Actor · b. 1935
- Alain Prost Racing driver · b. 1955
- Alain Resnais Film director · 1922–2014
- Alain Robbe-Grillet Writer · 1922–2008
- Alain Badiou Philosopher · b. 1937
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Alain mean?
A male given name from French, equivalent to English Alan.
How popular is the name Alain in 2025?
Alain ranked #2,836 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 44 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Alain?
3,986 babies have been named Alain in the United States since 1942, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alain most popular?
Alain peaked in 1988, when 92 newborns received the name.
Is Alain a boy or girl name?
Alain is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alain rising or falling?
Alain is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Alain?
Well-known people named Alain include Alain Delon (actor), Alain Prost (racing driver), Alain Resnais (film director).