Alister
Every Alister since 1924 — 1,664 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Alister
Alister is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,689 in 2025 with 97 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1924, 1,664 American babies have been named Alister. Its peak came in 2022, when 141 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Alister stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Alister year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 97 | #1,689 |
| 2024 | — | — | 102 | #1,650 |
| 2023 | — | — | 99 | #1,701 |
| 2022 | — | — | 141 | #1,330 |
| 2021 | — | — | 91 | #1,764 |
| 2020 | — | — | 106 | #1,556 |
| 2019 | — | — | 93 | #1,699 |
| 2018 | 5 | #15,807 | 93 | #1,687 |
| 2017 | — | — | 110 | #1,510 |
| 2016 | — | — | 102 | #1,599 |
| 2015 | — | — | 82 | #1,815 |
| 2014 | — | — | 60 | #2,232 |
| 2013 | — | — | 57 | #2,251 |
| 2012 | — | — | 52 | #2,416 |
| 2011 | — | — | 57 | #2,262 |
| 2010 | — | — | 30 | #3,532 |
| 2009 | — | — | 30 | #3,553 |
| 2008 | — | — | 30 | #3,564 |
| 2007 | — | — | 22 | #4,380 |
| 2006 | — | — | 19 | #4,686 |
| 2005 | — | — | 16 | #5,044 |
| 2004 | — | — | 13 | #5,825 |
| 2003 | — | — | 12 | #5,889 |
| 2002 | — | — | 8 | #7,674 |
| 2001 | — | — | 14 | #5,150 |
| 2000 | — | — | 6 | #9,137 |
| 1995 | — | — | 7 | #7,011 |
| 1990 | — | — | 7 | #6,429 |
| 1985 | — | — | 5 | #6,558 |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Alister
- Alister McGrath Philosopher · b. 1953
- Alister Hardy Biologist · 1896–1985
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Alister in 2025?
Alister ranked #1,689 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 97 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Alister?
1,664 babies have been named Alister in the United States since 1924, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Alister most popular?
Alister peaked in 2022, when 141 newborns received the name.
Is Alister a boy or girl name?
Alister is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Alister rising or falling?
Alister is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Alister?
Well-known people named Alister include Alister McGrath (philosopher), Alister Hardy (biologist).