Alister
About Alister
This anglicized spelling of the already anglicized Alistair originates from the Scottish form of Alexander. Some might think it lacks the flair of the -air ending, while others might find it sleeker and simpler. Either way, in the US, it's the second most popular spelling after Alistair, ahead of both Alasdair and Alastair, while in the UK, it is in use, but least preferred of the four.
Pronounced AL-uh-ster.
As of October 2026, Alister ranked #1689 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #1340 in 2022.
Editor's take: The name Alister is a boy's name meaning "defending men".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #2,232 | 60 | 31.2 |
| 2015 | #1,815 | 82 | 42.8 |
| 2016 | #1,599 | 102 | 53.7 |
| 2017 | #1,509 | 110 | 59.4 |
| 2018 | #1,687 | 93 | 51.2 |
| 2019 | #1,699 | 93 | 51.8 |
| 2020 | #1,554 | 106 | 61.4 |
| 2021 | #1,764 | 91 | 52 |
| 2022 | #1,340 | 140 | 80.2 |
| 2023 | #1,701 | 99 | 57.9 |
| 2024 | #1,648 | 102 | 59.2 |
| 2025 | #1,689 | 97 | 56.8 |
World rankings
Similar names
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Alister on lists
Famous Alisters
- Alister Edgar McGrath
Northern Irish theologian
- Alister MacKenzie
British golf course architect
- Alister Clavering Hardy
English marine biologist
- Alister Murray Murdoch
Australian RAAF commander
- Alister Clark
Australian rose breeder
- Alister McRae
British racing driver
- Alister Donald Miles McIntosh
New Zealand diplomat