Alison
Say it: AL-ih-sun/ˈælɪsən/
GirlMeans noble kind, through Alice6 letters3 syllables
#213
in Ireland (2025)
#217 with spellings combined
20
babies in 2025
#33
best rank (1989)
5,474
babies since 1964
Down 66
10-year rank change
Alison through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | #217 |
| 2024 | 15 | #279 |
| 2023 | 18 | #227 |
| 2022 | 20 | #222 |
| 2021 | 22 | #213 |
| 2020 | 17 | #255 |
| 2019 | 35 | #155 |
| 2018 | 32 | #165 |
| 2017 | 39 | #145 |
| 2016 | 53 | #114 |
| 2015 | 39 | #151 |
| 2014 | 39 | #151 |
| 2013 | 43 | #139 |
| 2012 | 47 | #129 |
| 2011 | 45 | #136 |
| 2010 | 60 | #115 |
| 2009 | 48 | #136 |
| 2008 | 55 | #118 |
| 2007 | 52 | #114 |
| 2006 | 55 | #100 |
| 2005 | 62 | #93 |
| 2004 | 61 | #91 |
| 2003 | 61 | #83 |
| 2002 | 89 | #60 |
| 2001 | 82 | #62 |
| 2000 | 79 | #62 |
| 1999 | 78 | #58 |
| 1998 | 93 | #45 |
| 1997 | 114 | #53 |
| 1996 | 123 | #46 |
| 1995 | 131 | #44 |
| 1994 | 110 | #50 |
| 1993 | 148 | #41 |
| 1992 | 153 | #39 |
| 1991 | 151 | #39 |
| 1990 | 161 | #38 |
| 1989 | 166 | #33 |
| 1988 | 125 | #58 |
| 1987 | 132 | #58 |
| 1986 | 107 | #74 |
| 1985 | 105 | #74 |
| 1984 | 124 | #67 |
| 1983 | 113 | #73 |
| 1982 | 130 | #70 |
| 1981 | 144 | #63 |
| 1980 | 137 | #67 |
| 1979 | 147 | #63 |
| 1978 | 140 | #65 |
| 1977 | 140 | #66 |
| 1976 | 120 | #73 |
| 1975 | 145 | #60 |
| 1974 | 141 | #65 |
| 1973 | 134 | #71 |
| 1972 | 129 | #64 |
| 1971 | 114 | #76 |
| 1970 | 121 | #69 |
| 1969 | 108 | #71 |
| 1968 | 83 | #83 |
| 1967 | 79 | #88 |
| 1966 | 64 | #98 |
| 1965 | 50 | #117 |
| 1964 | 26 | #146 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Alison mean?
Noble kind, through Alice
Medieval French pet form of Alis (Alice), which goes back to the Germanic Adalheid.
Say it right
ALihsun
The story of Alison
Alison started life in medieval France as a pet form of Alis, an old form of Alice, made by adding the small ending -on. Alice in turn comes from the Germanic name Adalheid, built on a word for noble birth. The name crossed to England with the Normans, where it was written Alisoun.
It was well used in the Middle Ages. Chaucer gave the name to two of his characters in The Canterbury Tales, including the lively Wife of Bath.
Alison was a steady choice in Ireland for decades. Its best year was 1989, with 166 girls and a rank of number 33. It has become less common since, and 20 girls were named Alison in 2025. The CSO counts other spellings, such as Allison and Alyson, as separate names.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Alison (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Alison (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
AliAlly
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Alison | 20 | 5,474 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #118 (1998); 72 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.