Alister
How to say it: AL-ih-stur · /ˈælɪstər/
Scottish form of Alexander meaning 'defender of men' - long used in Scotland, classic yet rugged.
Alister was the 577th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 97 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up about 26% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #547 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #577 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 97 |
| Share of births | 1 in 7,053 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | +26% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #547 |
| In France, 2025 | #889 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Alister is a newcomer: almost all of its history is from the last forty years.
What goes with it
Nicknames
- Al
- Ali
Honouring a Alister in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Alister is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Greek.
In France: #889 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Alister
- Alister Jack (born 1963)British politician
- Alister McRae (born 1970)Scottish rally driver
- Alister Allan (born 1944)British sport shooter
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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