Names are very intriguing words, and none more than the name Allan Lord. Names tell stories about who a person is, what his or her heritage might be, where he comes from, and what his or her family may have done for a living. All words can show a lot about their origins and the cultures that gave birth to them.
This name, Alan, is most often a boy’s name in its most common form. It may be spelled with one l, or two. The most common origin given is that it comes from an Old German word for precious. His name is thought to have been passed into English from its Germanic roots around the seventh century.
In addition to the Germanic root, the name may come from a Gaelic word. “Ailin” is Gaelic for a little rock or tiny pebble. The Bretons spoke Gaelic, and the name may have come into common use in the English language when William the Conqueror’s Breton allies brought it with them. A famous Breton who was close to William the Conqueror was named Allen, Earl of Brittany.
It is also a popular last name, or family name throughout England, Germany and the United States. It may be spelled with an e, as in Allen, as a common surname. In Russia, this name is linked to an ancient tribe of warriors, and the Welsh pronounce and spell this name “Alun”. In French, the name appears as “Alain”. Elwyn and Illen are also variants of the same name, and of Welsh or Gaelic origin.
The family name “Lord” also tells quite a tale with its meaning, origin and roots. This surname reveals an air of civil dignity belonging to the master of an important house or a wealthy upper class merchant. Its roots lie in the Anglo-Saxon term “ord”, meaning “master”. In ancient Gaelic, “ored” means lofty, or superior. The first root can be traced back to “Hlaford” which means “one who gives bread”. This is a poetic way of describing someone who gives others food because they work for him.
In early Europe, most people had just one name because there were not that many people. But over time, surnames developed and they usually came from what one’s family worked in for a business. Peter Plumber probably came from a line of plumbers, for example.
Allan Lord, therefore, is the descendant of a wealthy family. It was common in the middle ages and rebounded in popularity in the 1950′s in America and England because of a popular actor. Names, and all words, can be very interesting if they are studied as part of the study of language.
If you’re finding a name for your boy, think about Allan Lord. You may also use a random name generator.

