Alan (given name) masculine given name in the Welsh language; although it is not directly related to "Alan" (it is derived from Proto-Celtic "*alouno-" meaning either "nourishing" or "wandering"), today it is generally used as a variant form of the English name. An earlier bearer of this name is Alun of Dyfed, a character in the "Mabinogion". The name became popular in modern times when it was adopted as a bardic name by John Blackwell, a 19th-century Welsh poet. The short form of "Alan" is "Al". This name is a short form of numerous other etymologically unrelated names that begin with this syllable.
Cara (given name) Cara (given name) Cara is a female given name of Latin or Celtic origin. It has been frequently used mostly in recent times, especially in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Cara means beloved in Latin and the names Carina, Cherie and Cheryl derive from it. Cara also means friend in Irish language Kara, the alternative spelling, is from the Cornish word, meaning "love". This is likely cognate to the popular Welsh girls' name Carys. The name is also that of an island in the Inner Hebrides island group, Scotland; Cara Island lying just off the southern tip of the Isle