Alison is a unisex given name in English-speaking countries. It was originally a

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

French

nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

for ''Alis'', an old form of

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

Albert Dauzat, ''Noms et prénoms de France'', Librairie Larousse 1980, édition revue et commentée par Marie-Thérèse Morlet. p. 6a. derived with the suffix ''-on'' or ''-son'' sometimes used in the former

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

nicknames. The

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English ...

form was ''Alisoun''. The variant spelling Allison is the most common form in the United States.Katie Martin-Doyle, ''The Treasury of Baby Names'', Worth Press, Cambridge 2005. . Other variations include Allisan,

Alisson Álisson Ramsés Becker (born 2 October 1992), known as Alisson Becker or simply Alisson, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Liverpool and the Brazil national team. He is widely regarded to ...

, Allisson, Allyson, Allysson, Alyson,

Alysson Alysson is a masculine or feminine given name, a variant form of Alison. Notable people with the name include: Men: *Alysson Marendaz Marins (born 1976), Brazilian football player *Alysson Paolinelli, Brazilian agronomic engineer and public offici ...

, Alicen and Alycen, with nicknames Allie, Alley, Alie, Ali, Ally, Aly, Al, Aley and Alli. Allison also has separate, disputed roots as a family name. Alison, variant form Alizon, is also a French surname.

Popularity

The name is first recorded in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to th ...

in the 12th century. It was popular until the early 19th century and, spelled Allison, was the 45th most common name given to baby girls in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

in 2005 (Allyson was #253; Alison, #259; Alyson, #468; Allie, #256; Ally, #656; and Alice, #414). In 1990 in the

, Allison was the 228th most popular name for women of ''all'' ages; Alison was #347, Allyson, #775; Alyson, #981; Allie, #764; Ali, #2434; and Alice, #51. Alison in any spelling did not enter the top 100 baby names in 2005 in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

and

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. Allison last entered the top 1000 baby names for males in the

in 1946, when it ranked #968. In the 1910s it ranked from 667 to 981 with an average of #835, and in the first decade of the 20th century, it ranked as high as #927. In Lusophone countries like Brazil and Portugal, Alison and variant forms are also used as masculine given names.

People named Alison

Female

Alison Balsom Alison Louise Balsom, Lady Mendes, (born 7 October 1978) is an English trumpet soloist, arranger, producer, and music educator. Balsom was awarded Artist of the Year at the 2013 Gramophone Awards and has won three Classic BRIT Awards and th ...

(born 1978), British trumpeter *

Alison Bechdel Alison Bechdel ( ; born September 10, 1960) is an American cartoonist. Originally known for the long-running comic strip ''Dykes to Watch Out For'', she came to critical and commercial success in 2006 with her Graphic novel, graphic memoir ''Fun ...

(born 1960), American cartoonist *

Allison Baver Allison Baver (born August 11, 1980) is an American retired short track speed skater. A member of the U.S. short track speed skating squad beginning in 2002, Baver earned multiple medials in ISU World Cup competition. Baver competed in the 500m ...

(born 1980), American Olympic Medalist, American Actress * Alison Becker (born 1977), American actress * Alison Brie (born 1982), American actress * Alison Burton (1921–2014), Australian tennis player * Alison Calder (born 1969), Canadian poet and literary critic * Alison Chapman-Andrews (born 1942), English-Barbadian painter and artist *

Alison H. Clarkson Alison Hudnut Clarkson (born April 26, 1955) is an American theatrical producer and politician. She has been the majority leader of the Vermont Senate since 2021, representing the Windsor district as a member of the Democratic Party. Before ente ...

(born 1955), American politician * Alison DiLaurentis, fictional character from TV show''Pretty Little Liars'' * Alison Doody (born 1966), Irish actress and model * Alison Fuller, British educational researcher * Alison Goldfrapp (born 1966), English musician and record producer * Allison Gollust, American media executive * Alison Hammond (born 1975), English television personality *

Alison Hewson Alison Hewson (née Stewart; born 23 March 1961) is an Irish activist and businesswoman. She is the wife of singer and musician Paul Hewson, known as Bono, from the rock group U2. Raised in Raheny, she met her future husband at age 12 at Mo ...

(born 1961), Irish businesswoman and wife of

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended ...

Alison Hinds Alison Amanda Hinds (born 1 June 1970) is a British-born Bajan soca artist based in Barbados. She is one of the most popular soca singers in the world. Biography Alison Hinds was born in London on 1 June 1970 and grew up in Plaistow.Batey, A ...

(born 1970), English-Barbadian Soca Musician * Allison Holker (born 1988), American dancer * Alison Horner (born 1966), British businesswoman *

Alison Howie Alison Howie (born 3 July 1991) is a Scottish female field hockey player who plays as a midfielder for the Scotland women's national field hockey team. She has represented Scotland in few international competitions including the 2013 Women's Eu ...

(born 1991), Scottish field hockey player * Alison Humby (born 1972), English badminton player * Allison Janney (born 1959), American actress * Alison King (born 1973), English actress *

Alison Kinnaird Alison Kinnaird MBE, MA, FGE (born 30 April 1949) is a glass sculptor, Celtic musician, teacher and writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland. She is one of the foremost and most original modern glass engravers in Scotland. Portrait Her application ...

(born 1949), Scottish musician, sculptor and teacher *

Alison Kosik Alison Kosik (born April 28, 1971) is an American journalist and was a CNN business correspondent who covered the New York Stock Exchange. Biography Kosik was born in Miami, Florida, the daughter of Brenda (née Seinfeld) and Gilbert Kosik. S ...

(born 1971), news journalist for the Cable News Network (CNN) * Alison Krauss (born 1971), American musician * Alison Lohman (born 1979), American actress * Alison Lurie (1926–2020), American novelist and academic * Allison Mack (born 1982), American actress and criminal *

Alison Marr Alison M. Marr (born 1980) is an American mathematician and mathematics educator. Her research concerns graph theory and graph labeling, and she is also an advocate of inquiry-based learning in mathematics. She works as a professor of mathemati ...

, American mathematician * Alison Marsden, American bioengineer * Alison Mitchell, English sports broadcaster * Alison Moyet (born 1961), English singer and songwriter * Allison Munn (born 1974), American actress *

Alison R.H. Narayan Alison Rae Hardin Narayan (born 1984) is an American chemist and the William R. Roush assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Additionally, she is a research a ...

(born 1984), American chemistry professor * Alison Oliver (born 1997), Irish actress * Alison Parker (1991–2015), American news reporter, murdered on television *

Alison Blomfield Pickmere Alison Blomfield Pickmere (1908–1971) was a New Zealand secretary, interior decorator and artist. She was born in Auckland, New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consi ...

(1908–1971), New Zealand secretary of the interior *

Alison Pill Alison Pill (born November 27, 1985) is a Canadian actress. A former child actress, Pill began her career at age 12, appearing in numerous films and television series. She transitioned to adult roles and her breakthrough came with the television ...

(born 1985), Canadian actress *

Allison Pohlman Allison Pohlman (née Starr; born October 6, 1977) is an American basketball coach and the current head coach of the Drake Bulldogs women's basketball team. She took over the position in April 2021, following Jennie Baranczyk's hiring at Oklahoma ...

(born 1977), American collegiate basketball player and coach * Alison Redford (born 1965), Canadian lawyer and politician *

Alison Robins Alison Robins (nee Gerrish) (9 March 1920 – 15 October 2017) was a British naval signals intelligence officer. She joined the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS, "Wrens") in 1939 as an officers' steward and later joined the " Y-Service" in World ...

(1920–2017), worked at Bletchley Park "Y-Service" * Allison Sansom (born 1994), Thai model * Alison Saunders (born 1961), former Director of Public Prosecutions (England and Wales) * Allison Scagliotti (born 1990), American actress * Alison Schumacher (born 2002), Canadian figure skater * Alison Sealy-Smith (born 1959), Barbadian actress *

Alison Shrubsole Alison Cheveley Shrubsole CBE (7 April 1925 - 4 October 2002) was a British educationist and university administrator. She served for 14 years as Principal of Homerton College, Cambridge from 1971 to 1985. Prior to this she was Principal of Phili ...

(1925–2002), British educationist and university administrator * Alison Steadman (born 1946), English actress *

Alison Sudol Alison Sudol (born December 23, 1984) is an American actress, singer, songwriter and music video director. She is known as the singer A Fine Frenzy, and for her role as Queenie Goldstein in ''Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'' (2016), as ...

(born 1984), American musician and actress *

Alison Sweeney Alison Ann Sweeney (born September 19, 1976) is an American actress, reality show host, director and author. Sweeney is best known for her portrayal of Samantha "Sami" Brady on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', a role she played under c ...

(born 1976), American actress *

Allison Tant Allison Tant (born 1961) is an American former lobbyist, Democratic Party of Florida chair, and politician serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 9th district. She assumed office on November 3, 2020. Early life and ...

(born 1961), American politician * Alison Joan Tierney CBE (born 1948) British nursing theorist, nurse researcher * Alison Weir (born 1951), English author and historian * Allison Williams (born 1988), American actress, comedian, and singer *

Alison Williamson Alison Jane Williamson MBE (born 3 November 1971) is a retired British archer who represented Great Britain at six consecutive Olympic Games from 1992 to 2012. She won a bronze medal in the women's individual event at the 2004 Summer Olympi ...

(born 1971), English archer

Male

* Allison Deforest Pickett (1900-1991), Canadian entomologist * Alisson Becker (born 1992), commonly known as

, Brazilian footballer *

Allison Brooks Allison C. Brooks (June 26, 1917 – December 9, 2006) was a United States Air Force aviator who piloted both the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and North American P-51 Mustang aircraft in combat missions over Nazi Germany during World War II. ...

(1917–2006), American Air Force aviator * Allison Burnett (born 1958), American screenwriter *

Alison Cerutti Alison Conte Cerutti (born 7 December 1985) is a Brazilian beach volleyball player. He plays as a blocker. In 2011, along with Emanuel Rego he won the Swatch FIVB World Tour in Prague, Czech Republic.

(born 1985), Brazilian beach volleyball player * Allison Danzig (1898–1987), American sports journalist * Alison dos Santos (born 2000), Brazilian athlete *

Allison G. Catheron Allison G. Catheron was a Canadian-born American politician who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Early life Catheron was born on June 26, 1878, in Kempt, Nova Scotia. His family moved to Beverly, Massachusetts, during his y ...

(1878-1950), Canadian-born American politician *

Alison Lopes Ferreira Alison Lopes Ferreira (born 1 March 1993), simply known as Alison (), is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Santos. Club career Santos Born in Mongaguá, São Paulo, Alison joined Santos' youth setup in 2004, aged ...

(born 1993), commonly known as Alison, Brazilian footballer *

Allison Blakely Allison Blakely is an academic historian. Life He graduated from the University of Oregon, and from the University of California, Berkeley with an M.A. and Ph.D. He taught for thirty years at Howard University 1971–2001. He has taught at Bosto ...

(born 1940), American academic historian * Alison Henrique Mira (born 1995), commonly known as Alison, Brazilian footballer *

Allison Patrício Allison Patrício, known as Allison (born 31 January 1986) is a Brazilian football player who plays for Mafra. Club career He made his professional debut in the Segunda Liga for Mafra on 8 August 2015 in a game against Gil Vicente Gil Vicen ...

(born 1986), Brazilian footballer * Alison White (1881-1962), English cricketer *

Allison Green Allison R. Green (October 28, 1911 – March 26, 2005) was a Republican politician from Michigan who served in the Michigan House of Representatives The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There ...

(1911-2005), American politician * Allison Clark Bonnell (1801-1875), commonly known as A. C. Bonnell, American politician and businessman *

Allison B. Humphreys Allison Battle Humphreys, Jr. (June 28, 1906 – September 1, 1993) was a justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court from 1967 to 1974. Born in Lebanon, Tennessee, Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee, he was the third of six children of Allison Battle ...

(1906-1993), former justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court *

Allison Amos Pettengill Allison Amos Pettengill (November 13, 1808 – January 17, 1882) was an American politician and newspaper editor. Pettengill, son of the Rev. Amos Pettengill, was born in Champlain, Clinton County, N. Y., November 13, 1808. In his early years hi ...

(1808-1882), American politician and newspaper editor * Allison Tatham-Warter (1917-1992), commonly known as

Digby Tatham-Warter Major Allison Digby Tatham-Warter DSO (21 May 1917 – 21 March 1993), also known as Digby Tatham-Warter or just Digby, was a British Army officer who fought in the Second World War and was famed for wearing a bowler hat and carrying an umbrell ...

, British Army officer * Allison Dysart (1880-1962), Canadian politician, lawyer and judge * Allison Madueke (born 1944), retired Nigerian naval officer * W. B. Allison Davis (1902-1983), American educator, anthropologist, writer, researcher, and scholar * Allison DeLong (1940-2014), Canadian politician

Fiction

* Allison Hargreeves, main character in the comic book/Netflix series '' The Umbrella Academy'' * Allison Argent, a character in the TV Series '' Teen Wolf''

Popularity

People named Alison

Female

Male

Fiction

See also

References

External links