The crossword solutions for the term ALAN OR ADAM are ARKIN. ARKIN is a surname of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name Erchenwine, which means 'noble friend'. It is also a variant spelling of the German surname Arken, which is derived from the Middle High German word arkon, meaning 'EAGLE'. The surname is most commonly found in the United States, where it is the 5, 945th most common surname.