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Alistair

Boy

Meaning of Alistair: Scottish: 'defending men'

Alistair is a boy's name most strongly associated with Scottish naming. It has 8 letters and 3 syllables, and it is familiar but far from overused — 905th most popular boys' name in the United States in 2025 and 545th in England & Wales.

US rank 2025

#905

265 babies in 2025

England & Wales 2024

#545

70 babies in 2024

US babies since 1880

4,088

First recorded 1956 · peak 2025

Trend

stable

Style: uncommon

Popularity over time

1981: 13 babies1982: 6 babies1983: 8 babies1984: 14 babies1985: 14 babies1986: 13 babies1987: 10 babies1988: 12 babies1989: 16 babies1990: 10 babies19901991: 21 babies1992: 12 babies1993: 20 babies1994: 25 babies1995: 19 babies1996: 23 babies1997: 12 babies1998: 18 babies1999: 30 babies2000: 24 babies20002001: 21 babies2002: 26 babies2003: 23 babies2004: 31 babies2005: 42 babies2006: 53 babies2007: 71 babies2008: 68 babies2009: 90 babies2010: 81 babies20102011: 108 babies2012: 126 babies2013: 132 babies2014: 179 babies2015: 198 babies2016: 247 babies2017: 225 babies2018: 205 babies2019: 221 babies2020: 226 babies20202021: 255 babies2022: 248 babies2023: 250 babies2024: 257 babies2025: 265 babies
US babies named Alistair per year (Social Security Administration). Peak bar = 265.

Gender split

100% boys · 0% girls, based on US, UK and international usage.

Origins & cultures

More Scottish boys' names

Other names starting with A