Alison
Girl name · #476 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Alison? In official American birth records, Alison has been tracked continuously since 1905, giving it 120 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 644 baby girls were named Alison, placing it at #476 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #338, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,795 girls born in 2025 was named Alison.
The 120-year story
Alison first appears in the Social Security records in 1905, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1980, when 2,980 girls were named Alison — good for #101 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Alison per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alison against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alison in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alison is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Alison is most common
Geography matters for names, and Alison is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Alison is most common in AL (0.7 per 1,000), MD (0.7 per 1,000), AZ (0.7 per 1,000), CA (0.7 per 1,000), SC (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Alison is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Alison
Alison belongs to the Allison family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Allison family went to about 3,781 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #61, versus #476 for Alison alone.
Names like Alison
Statistically, parents drawn to Alison tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Alyson, Alicia, Allyson, Andrea, and April.
AlysonAliciaAllysonAndreaAprilMeredithAmandaAmber
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alison | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 644 | #476 |
| 2024 | 674 | #465 |
| 2023 | 654 | #471 |
| 2022 | 692 | #458 |
| 2021 | 660 | #473 |
| 2020 | 699 | #440 |
| 2019 | 758 | #413 |
| 2018 | 770 | #400 |
| 2017 | 816 | #383 |
| 2016 | 974 | #343 |
| 2015 | 967 | #338 |
| 2014 | 1,118 | #292 |
| 2013 | 1,072 | #298 |
| 2012 | 1,184 | #275 |
| 2011 | 1,272 | #253 |
| 2010 | 1,219 | #269 |
| 2009 | 1,448 | #228 |
| 2008 | 1,247 | #275 |
| 2007 | 1,170 | #290 |
| 2006 | 1,217 | #271 |
| 2005 | 1,256 | #260 |
| 2004 | 1,433 | #229 |
| 2003 | 1,413 | #233 |
| 2002 | 1,361 | #232 |
| 2001 | 1,360 | #233 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Alison?
In official American birth records, the name Alison first appeared in 1905 (over 120 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 120 years.
Is Alison a popular girl name?
Alison ranked #476 among girls in 2025 with 644 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #338.
When was the name Alison most popular?
Alison peaked in 1980, when 2,980 American girls received the name (ranked #101 that year). Since 1980 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Alison?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,795 newborn American girls was named Alison. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.