Alison Girl

Popularity: #428 · 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 #197 nationally, which occurred in 1986, 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.

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.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 649 5 644
2024 674 0 674
2023 654 0 654
2022 698 6 692
2021 660 0 660
2020 699 0 699
2019 758 0 758
2018 770 0 770
2017 816 0 816
2016 974 0 974
2015 967 0 967
2014 1,118 0 1,118
2013 1,078 6 1,072
2012 1,189 5 1,184
2011 1,278 6 1,272
2010 1,219 0 1,219
2009 1,457 9 1,448
2008 1,254 7 1,247
2007 1,180 10 1,170
2006 1,222 5 1,217
2005 1,256 0 1,256
2004 1,438 5 1,433
2003 1,419 6 1,413
2002 1,361 0 1,361
2001 1,360 0 1,360
2000 1,386 5 1,381
1999 1,536 9 1,527
1998 1,647 5 1,642
1997 1,770 7 1,763
1996 1,901 0 1,901
1995 1,952 0 1,952
1994 2,126 5 2,121
1993 2,247 6 2,241
1992 2,073 7 2,066
1991 2,166 13 2,153
1990 2,376 13 2,363
1989 2,515 27 2,488
1988 2,554 13 2,541
1987 2,787 16 2,771
1986 3,000 25 2,975
1985 2,837 8 2,829
1984 2,524 12 2,512
1983 2,504 13 2,491
1982 2,747 20 2,727
1981 2,719 15 2,704
1980 2,994 14 2,980
1979 2,951 13 2,938
1978 2,443 10 2,433
1977 2,385 13 2,372
1976 2,289 17 2,272
1975 2,283 16 2,267
1974 2,093 14 2,079
1973 1,938 10 1,928
1972 1,823 15 1,808
1971 2,222 12 2,210
1970 1,771 8 1,763
1969 1,082 5 1,077
1968 904 0 904
1967 901 6 895
1966 959 0 959
1965 1,461 0 1,461
1964 1,451 0 1,451
1963 1,394 5 1,389
1962 1,427 6 1,421
1961 1,409 0 1,409
1960 1,267 0 1,267
1959 1,197 0 1,197
1958 993 0 993
1957 573 6 567
1956 592 0 592
1955 545 0 545
1954 626 7 619
1953 492 0 492
1952 445 5 440
1951 418 0 418
1950 360 7 353
1949 323 7 316
1948 273 5 268
1947 233 0 233
1946 220 6 214
1945 125 5 120
1944 82 5 77
1943 67 0 67
1942 85 7 78
1941 35 0 35
1940 42 0 42
1939 44 0 44
1938 43 0 43
1937 44 6 38
1936 51 0 51
1935 35 0 35
1934 56 6 50
1933 26 0 26
1932 35 0 35
1931 27 6 21
1930 24 0 24
1929 14 0 14
1928 33 5 28
1927 25 0 25
1926 22 0 22
1925 21 7 14
1924 34 11 23
1923 27 5 22
1922 21 0 21
1921 24 5 19
1920 17 7 10
1919 17 0 17
1918 29 11 18
1917 20 0 20
1916 15 0 15
1915 16 0 16
1914 28 6 22
1913 19 7 12
1912 9 0 9
1910 5 0 5
1907 5 0 5
1905 7 0 7

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 118
19%
CA 105
17%
NY 54
9%
FL 46
7%
GA 25
4%
AZ 22
3%
NJ 21
3%
IL 20
3%
NC 20
3%
CO 14
2%
MD 14
2%
PA 13
2%
MA 12
2%
OH 12
2%
MI 12
2%
WA 11
2%
WI 11
2%
VA 11
2%
MN 9
1%
SC 9
1%
KY 9
1%
OK 8
1%
OR 8
1%
IN 8
1%
TN 8
1%
LA 8
1%
AL 7
1%
CT 6
1%
NE 6
1%
MO 5
1%