Girl · #466 in 2026

Alison

Alison is a female given name in English-speaking countries. It was originally a medieval French nickname for Alis / Alys, an old form of Alice derived with the suffix -on or -son sometimes used in the former French nicknames. The Middle English form was Alisoun.

  • English
  • French
  • Portuguese
Current Rank
#466
Peak Rank
#96 (1980)
Total Babies
118K
5-Yr Trend
-10%
1905
First Year
2026
Last Year
1980
Peak Year
#96
Peak Rank
118K
Total Count
118
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Alison

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Alison is a female given name in English-speaking countries. It was originally a medieval French nickname for Alis / Alys, an old form of Alice derived with the suffix -on or -son sometimes used in the former French nicknames. The Middle English form was Alisoun.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • French
  • Portuguese

The Story of Alison

The earliest SSA record of Alison as a baby girl name dates back to 1905, when 7 babies received it. 1980 was its biggest year on record, with 2,980 newborns named Alison — #101 in the national rankings. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 23% of all recorded Alisons. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #466 among baby girl names with 663 births, gradually falling (-10%). In total, more than 118K Alisons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Alison

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Alison. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Alison

Phonetically similar names — useful when Alison is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Alison

What does the name Alison mean?
Alison is a female given name in English-speaking countries. It was originally a medieval French nickname for Alis / Alys, an old form of Alice derived with the suffix -on or -son sometimes used in the former French nicknames. The Middle English form was Alisoun.
What is the origin of the name Alison?
Alison has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, French, Portuguese.
How popular is Alison in 2026?
In 2026, Alison ranks #466 among girls' names in the U.S., with 663 babies given the name that year.
When was Alison most popular?
Alison reached its peak popularity in 1980, ranking #96 that year with 2,980 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Alison most popular?
Alison has historically been most popular in Delaware, Vermont, South Dakota. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Alison.
Is Alison a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Alison is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Alison?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Alison include Ollie, Inez, Christie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Alison?
Common variants and related forms of Alison include Adélaïde, Adelaide, Alease, Alecia, Aleesha, Alesha. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Ollie
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👧
Inez
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👧
Christie
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👧
Jillian
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👧
Margie
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👧
Angelica
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👧
Kara
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Mya
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About the name Alison

Alison is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1905 and has accumulated 118K births in the dataset. Alison's peak popularity came in 1980 when it ranked #96. Use the chart and map above to compare Alison's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.