origin of the use of Alen Ալեն in Armenia
Alen Ալեն became popular in Armenia (and the former Soviet Bloc) after the visit of French Actor Alain Delon to the USSR to costar in the film "Teheran 43" in 1981. Everybody in the Soviet bloc fell in love with him and many people started calling their new-born sons after him (Ален in Russian).