Allison first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Allison has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Allison

A feminine name of English origin meaning "truthful" or "noble".

Popularity of Allison by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Allison is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Allison being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 2,641 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Allison.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 2,641
2022 6 2,699
2021 6 3,136
2020 6 3,153
2019 5 3,436
2018 8 3,690
2017 0 4,033
2016 5 4,782
2015 10 5,353
2014 9 5,475
2013 12 5,443
2012 8 5,427
2011 10 5,470
2010 9 5,866
2009 10 6,581
2008 19 6,240
2007 5 5,454
2006 6 5,564
2005 13 5,634
2004 24 5,873
2003 10 5,850
2002 16 6,239
2001 19 6,213
2000 9 6,315
1999 10 7,025
1998 8 7,861
1997 9 7,274
1996 11 7,454
1995 21 8,126
1994 13 8,150
1993 16 7,729
1992 20 6,902
1991 15 6,773
1990 24 7,133
1989 32 7,285
1988 36 7,144
1987 29 7,340
1986 47 7,576
1985 27 7,027
1984 26 6,039
1983 25 4,973
1982 30 5,171
1981 35 4,905
1980 28 4,870
1979 25 4,409
1978 25 3,866
1977 26 4,206
1976 33 4,029
1975 20 3,349
1974 26 2,959

The history of the first name Allison

The name Allison originates from the Scottish Gaelic name Ailís, which was derived from the Norman French form of the Germanic name Adeliz or Adelina. The name Adeliz is believed to have been a combination of the Germanic elements "adal," meaning "noble," and "lind," meaning "serpent" or "snake."

In the 12th century, the name Ailís was brought to Scotland by Norman settlers, and it became a popular name among the Scottish nobility. Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, including Alison, Allyson, and Allison.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Allison dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the chronicles of the Scottish town of Ayr. In these records, a woman named Alicia de Moreville was mentioned as the wife of a local nobleman.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Allison. One of the earliest was Alison Neville (c. 1394-1476), an English noblewoman who served as the Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth Woodville during the reign of Edward IV.

Another notable Allison was Alison Weir (1951-), an English historian and author, best known for her biographies of British royalty, including "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" and "The Life of Elizabeth I."

In the world of literature, Allison Lurie (1926-2020) was an American novelist and academic who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1985 for her novel "Foreign Affairs."

In the realm of science, Allison Hargreaves (1962-1995) was a British mountain climber and the first woman to conquer Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen.

The name Allison has also been associated with notable figures in the world of entertainment, such as Allison Janney (1959-), an American actress known for her roles in films like "The Help" and television shows like "The West Wing," for which she won multiple Emmy Awards.

While these are just a few examples, the name Allison has been borne by countless individuals throughout history, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human endeavor.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Allison was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Allison, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Allison first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 9, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/allison-meaning-and-history/.

"Allison first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/allison-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 9 November, 2024

Allison first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/allison-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.