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.
Ruby (given name) Ruby (given name) Ruby is a predominantly feminine given name taken from the name of the gemstone ruby. The name of the gemstone comes from the Latin "ruber", meaning "red". The ruby is the birthstone for the month of July. The name first came into wide use for girls in the late Victorian era along with other jewel names. Ruby is a currently popular name in English-speaking countries. It was the second most popular name given to baby girls in England and Wales in 2009, was the 24th most popular name given to baby girls born in Scotland in 2009;