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.
Brendan (given name) Brendan (given name) Brendan is an Irish masculine given name in the English language. It is derived from the Gaelic name Breandán, which is in turn derived from the earlier Old Irish Brénainn. The Old Welsh "breenhin" is the root of the name, meaning Prince or King. The mediaeval Latin form of the name, Brendanus, has also influenced the modern English and Irish forms. Variant spellings of "Brendan" are Brendon and Brenden. In some cases it is possible that the given name "Brandon" is also a variant of "Brendan". A variant spelling of the Irish "Breandán" is Breanndán. The English