NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Alin

Feminine form of the French name Alain, meaning "little rock".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 69 girls.

Alin is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Alin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2921, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 15 births.

This profile covers 112 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 2007 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 47% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 111 living people in the UK are called Alin. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Alin ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2020, when 15 boys were registered as Alin.
  • Alin is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
  • About 111 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 61.9% of Alin registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2921

2024

Births in 2024

7

Latest year

Peak year

2020

15 births

Estimated living

111

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Alin

In England and Wales birth records, Alin has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 61.9% of registrations are for boys and 38.1% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

62% boys
38% girls
Boys112 (61.9%)Girls69 (38.1%)

Alin registered for boys

  • Ranked #2,921 in 2024
  • 7 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2020 (15 births)

Alin registered for girls

  • Ranked #2,771 in 2024
  • 9 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2020 (11 births)

Meaning

What does Alin mean?

The name Alin has its origins in the ancient Celtic language and culture. It is derived from the Gaelic word "ail," which means "rock" or "stone." The earliest known use of the name dates back to the 5th century AD, when it was recorded in Celtic manuscripts and historical records.

In the early medieval period, the name Alin was particularly common among Celtic tribes in present-day Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Wales. It was often given to boys born in rocky or mountainous regions, as a symbol of strength and resilience.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alin can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the entry for the year 644 AD, a chieftain named Alin mac Colmáin is mentioned as leading a rebellion against the High King of Ireland.

During the Middle Ages, the name Alin became popular among Christian families in Celtic regions, possibly due to its association with the Latin word "alinus," meaning "little rock" or "pebble." This may have been seen as a reference to the Biblical passage in Matthew 16:18, where Jesus says to Peter, "You are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church."

In the 12th century, a nobleman named Alin de Galloway was a prominent figure in the court of King David I of Scotland. He is mentioned in several historical documents from the time, including the Chronicles of Holyrood Abbey.

Another notable bearer of the name was Alin ap Cadwgan, a Welsh prince who lived in the late 12th century and fought against the Norman invaders of Wales. He is remembered in the Brut y Tywysogion, a medieval Welsh chronicle.

In the 14th century, an Irish poet and bard named Alin Ó Dálaigh gained fame for his intricate and lyrical compositions. His works are preserved in the Book of Fermoy, an important manuscript of Irish literature.

During the Renaissance, an Italian humanist scholar named Alin Rinuccini (1446-1499) made significant contributions to the study of classical Greek and Latin texts. He is credited with discovering and editing several lost works by ancient authors.

In more recent times, the name Alin has been carried by individuals such as Alin Teodorescu (1894-1964), a Romanian politician and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Romania in the 1930s, and Alin Coen (born 1957), a French film director and screenwriter known for his award-winning films.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Alin over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Alin in England and Wales, from 2007 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Alin, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 15 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
07132026200720152024

Decades

Alin by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alin was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #2511 44 5
2010s #2930 58 8
2000s #4182 10 3

Related

Names similar to Alin

FAQ

Alin: questions and answers

How popular is the name Alin in the UK right now?

In 2024, Alin was ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.

When was Alin most popular?

The peak year on record was 2020, with 15 babies registered as Alin in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Alin?

Feminine form of the French name Alain, meaning "little rock".

How many people are called Alin in the UK?

A total of 112 babies have been registered as Alin across the 16 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.