The first name Alister
A boy’s name.
3 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Variant of Allister.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 8 boys were named Alister, making it the 2,664th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 30 births (#564).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Alister with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Alister at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 97 boys born in the United States were named Alister, the 1,689th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 141 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Alister
4 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Alister JackBritish politician, born 1963
- Alister HardyBritish marine biologist (1896–1985)
- Alister KirbyBritish rower (1886-1917)
- Alister AllanBritish sport shooter, born 1944
Questions
- What does the name Alister mean?
- Variant of Allister.
- How popular is the name Alister?
- In 2025, 8 boys born in England and Wales were named Alister, ranking 2,664th. Its peak was 1996, with 30 births.
- Is Alister a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,664 US babies named Alister since 1880 were boys.
- When was Alister most popular?
- 2022 in the United States, when 141 babies were named Alister, its highest rank at 1,330th.