Name a country, but not Germany (4)

I believe the answer is:

alan

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'country but not germany' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.

'name a' is the wordplay.
'name' becomes 'al' (**).
'a' becomes 'an'.
'al'+'an'='ALAN'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for alan that I've seen before include "Sir -- Sugar (The Apprentice)" , "- Bennett, English actor, dramatist, writer" , "Boy" , "English historian/poet" , "-- Sugar, British entrepreneur" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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