Allison Girl

Popularity: #99 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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

Origin: English; French

Meaning: Noble; of noble birth

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Allison has its roots in the Old French name "Alicien," which is derived from the Germanic name "Adalheidis," meaning "noble kind" or "of noble birth." The name entered the English language through the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, where it was adapted into various forms, including "Alison" and "Allison." Over time, the name evolved in spelling and pronunciation, with "Allison" becoming a common variant in English-speaking countries by the late Middle Ages. Historically, the name Allison has been associated with notable figures and texts.

In the 12th century, the name appeared in the works of medieval literature, often linked to characters of noble lineage. One significant milestone in its historical journey is its inclusion in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" in the 14th century, where it reflects the social dynamics of the time.

Additionally, the name has been borne by various saints, contributing to its religious and cultural significance throughout the centuries. Culturally, Allison has been embraced in various traditions and has often been associated with qualities of nobility and grace.

The name has also seen variations and diminutives, such as "Ally" or "Allie," which have been used affectionately in different contexts. The enduring nature of the name can be attributed to its melodic sound and the positive connotations of nobility and heritage, making it a favored choice in literature and among families seeking to honor their lineage.

Famous people named Allison

In this section, you will find notable people named Allison. 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 Allison who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Allison 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.

Allison Janney is an actress best known for The West Wing, Mom, and I, Tonya.

Allison Williams is an actress and producer best known for Girls, Get Out, and A Series of Unfortunate Events.

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

Fictional characters named Allison

The following list of fictional characters named Allison 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.

Allison Reynolds is a fictional character from the film The Breakfast Club. She is a socially awkward girl who learns to express herself and connect with others during Saturday detention.

Allison Hargreeves is a fictional character from the comic series and Netflix show The Umbrella Academy. They are a member of the Hargreeves siblings with the ability to manipulate time and space.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Allison, 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 Allison. 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 Allison was first seen in the United States in 1908.

Allison has ranked as high as #81 nationally, which occurred in 1994, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Ohio, and Illinois.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Allison 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 Allison was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Allison (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 429
17%
CA 348
14%
FL 211
8%
NY 117
5%
GA 99
4%
NC 87
3%
IL 78
3%
TN 73
3%
VA 70
3%
PA 69
3%
NJ 69
3%
AZ 65
3%
OH 64
3%
WA 53
2%
CO 49
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 Allison.

YearBirths
20242,622
20232,646
20222,711
20213,138
20203,159
20193,439
20183,693
20174,036
20164,782
20155,356
20145,476
20135,445
20125,427
20115,472
20105,867
20096,581
20086,241
20075,454
20065,564
20055,634
20045,873
20035,850
20026,239
20016,214
20006,315
19997,026
19987,861
19977,274
19967,455
19958,126
19948,150
19937,729
19926,903
19916,773
19907,134
19897,283
19887,145
19877,340
19867,575
19857,028
19846,040
19834,973
19825,171
19814,905
19804,868
19794,407
19783,864
19774,205
19764,028
19753,347
19742,959
19732,904
19722,797
19713,018
19702,630
19691,651
19681,536
19671,452
19661,768
19653,044
19642,077
19631,434
19621,313
19611,182
19601,068
19591,124
1958987
1957465
1956402
1955341
1954290
1953281
1952255
1951252
1950157
1949144
1948130
1947102
194685
194547
194445
194338
194234
194131
194024
193928
193827
193725
193630
193531
193426
193315
193221
193116
193017
192913
192822
192725
192637
192518
192418
192321
192218
192132
192023
191919
191830
191715
191624
191513
191411
19137
191212
19119
19105
19086