Alison Girl

Popularity: #409 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AL-ih-sun //ˈælɪsən//

Origin: Old French; English

Meaning: Noble; of noble birth

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Alison has its roots in the Old French name 'Alicine,' which is a diminutive form of 'Adèle,' itself derived from the Germanic name 'Adalheidis,' meaning 'noble kind' or 'noble sort.' The name entered the English language during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when French influence permeated English culture and language. Over time, Alison evolved into various forms, including 'Alison' and 'Allison,' which became more common in English-speaking regions.

Historically, the name Alison has been borne by notable figures, including Alison of France, a 12th-century noblewoman, and various saints and literary characters throughout the Middle Ages. The name gained further recognition through its use in literature, appearing in works such as Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' in the 14th century, where it was associated with the character Alison, the wife of Bath.

This association with a strong, independent female character contributed to the name's cultural resonance in medieval society. In addition to its literary significance, Alison has been linked to themes of nobility and virtue, reflecting the meanings of its etymological roots.

The name has also been used in various forms of art and music, further embedding it within cultural traditions. The diminutive 'Ali' has emerged as a familiar form, although it is less historically significant than the full name.

Overall, Alison's journey through language and culture illustrates its enduring appeal and the rich tapestry of history that surrounds it.

Famous people named Alison

In this section, you will find notable people named Alison. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Alison who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Alison who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Alison Brie is an actress best known for Community, Mad Men, and GLOW.

Alison Krauss is a musician best known for her work with Union Station, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and Raising Sand.

Alison Moyet is a singer-songwriter best known for her work with Yazoo, and her solo hits such as Invisible and All Cried Out.

Alison Pill is an actress best known for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Newsroom, and Pieces of April.

Alison Sweeney is an actress and television host best known for Days of Our Lives and The Biggest Loser.

Fictional characters named Alison

The following list of fictional characters named Alison is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Alison DiLaurentis is a fictional character from the book series and TV show Pretty Little Liars. She is a central figure whose mysterious disappearance and manipulative nature drive much of the plot's intrigue.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Alison, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Alison. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Alison was first seen in the United States in 1905.

Alison has ranked as high as #196 nationally, which occurred in 1980, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Alison has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Alison is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Alison was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Alison (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
TX 118
19%
CA 105
17%
NY 54
9%
FL 46
7%
GA 25
4%
AZ 22
4%
NJ 21
3%
IL 20
3%
NC 20
3%
CO 14
2%
MD 14
2%
PA 13
2%
MA 12
2%
OH 12
2%
VA 11
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Alison.

YearBirths
2024673
2023653
2022692
2021658
2020699
2019758
2018770
2017816
2016973
2015967
20141,118
20131,072
20121,184
20111,272
20101,219
20091,448
20081,247
20071,170
20061,217
20051,256
20041,433
20031,413
20021,361
20011,360
20001,381
19991,527
19981,642
19971,763
19961,901
19951,952
19942,121
19932,241
19922,065
19912,153
19902,363
19892,489
19882,540
19872,771
19862,975
19852,829
19842,512
19832,491
19822,726
19812,704
19802,980
19792,938
19782,433
19772,372
19762,273
19752,267
19742,079
19731,928
19721,808
19712,210
19701,764
19691,077
1968904
1967895
1966959
19651,461
19641,451
19631,388
19621,422
19611,409
19601,267
19591,197
1958993
1957567
1956592
1955545
1954619
1953492
1952440
1951418
1950353
1949316
1948268
1947233
1946214
1945120
194477
194367
194278
194135
194042
193944
193843
193738
193651
193535
193450
193326
193235
193121
193024
192914
192828
192725
192622
192514
192423
192322
192221
192119
192010
191917
191818
191720
191615
191516
191422
191312
19129
19105
19075
19057