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Alister

Boy

Meaning of Alister: Scottish: 'defending men'

Alister is a boy's name most strongly associated with Scottish naming. It has 7 letters and 3 syllables, and it is familiar but far from overused — 1678th most popular boys' name in the United States in 2025 and 3254th in England & Wales.

US rank 2025

#1678

97 babies in 2025

England & Wales 2024

#3254

6 babies in 2024

US babies since 1880

1,664

First recorded 1924 · peak 2022

Trend

stable

Style: uncommon

Popularity over time

1981: 0 babies1982: 6 babies1983: 0 babies1984: 6 babies1985: 5 babies1986: 6 babies1987: 7 babies1988: 11 babies1989: 7 babies1990: 7 babies19901991: 0 babies1992: 0 babies1993: 6 babies1994: 10 babies1995: 7 babies1996: 8 babies1997: 11 babies1998: 10 babies1999: 5 babies2000: 6 babies20002001: 14 babies2002: 8 babies2003: 12 babies2004: 13 babies2005: 16 babies2006: 19 babies2007: 22 babies2008: 30 babies2009: 30 babies2010: 30 babies20102011: 57 babies2012: 52 babies2013: 57 babies2014: 60 babies2015: 82 babies2016: 102 babies2017: 110 babies2018: 98 babies2019: 93 babies2020: 106 babies20202021: 91 babies2022: 141 babies2023: 99 babies2024: 102 babies2025: 97 babies
US babies named Alister per year (Social Security Administration). Peak bar = 141.

Gender split

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

Origins & cultures

More Scottish boys' names

Other names starting with A