Alister
Boy name · #1692 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Alister? In official American birth records, Alister has been tracked continuously since 1924, giving it 101 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 97 baby boys were named Alister, placing it at #1692 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1815, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,557 boys born in 2025 was named Alister.
Babies named Alister per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 101-year story
Alister first appears in the Social Security records in 1924, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 141 babies and a rank of #1330. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alister against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alister in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Alister is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Alister will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Alister is most common
State-level data for Alister is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Alister
Statistically, parents drawn to Alister tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Allister, Aleister, Winter, Jupiter, and Slater.
AllisterAleisterWinterJupiterSlaterSutterRangerCartier
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alister | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 97 | #1688 |
| 2024 | 102 | #1650 |
| 2023 | 99 | #1701 |
| 2022 | 141 | #1330 |
| 2021 | 91 | #1763 |
| 2020 | 106 | #1556 |
| 2019 | 93 | #1698 |
| 2018 | 93 | #1687 |
| 2017 | 110 | #1510 |
| 2016 | 102 | #1599 |
| 2015 | 82 | #1815 |
| 2014 | 60 | #2230 |
| 2013 | 57 | #2250 |
| 2012 | 52 | #2415 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2261 |
| 2010 | 30 | #3531 |
| 2009 | 30 | #3551 |
| 2008 | 30 | #3561 |
| 2007 | 22 | #4375 |
| 2006 | 19 | #4675 |
| 2005 | 16 | #5034 |
| 2004 | 13 | #5813 |
| 2003 | 12 | #5877 |
| 2002 | 8 | #7643 |
| 2001 | 14 | #5142 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Alister?
In official American birth records, the name Alister first appeared in 1924 (over 101 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 101 years.
Is Alister a popular boy name?
Alister ranked #1692 among boys in 2025 with 97 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1815.
When was the name Alister most popular?
Alister peaked in 2022, when 141 American boys received the name (ranked #1330 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Alister?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,557 newborn American boys was named Alister. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.