UK boy's name
Aleister
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "defender of mankind".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Aleister is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Aleister popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 4 births.
This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2018 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Aleister. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Aleister ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 4 boys were registered as Aleister.
- • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aleister as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2018
4 births
Estimated living
13
2026
Meaning
What does Aleister mean?
The given name Aleister is of Greek origin, derived from the ancient Greek word "alexo", meaning "to defend" or "to protect". It is a variant of the more common name Alexander, which shares the same root meaning.
In ancient times, the name was associated with strength, bravery, and the idea of being a protector or guardian. It was a popular name among the ancient Greeks and later spread to other cultures influenced by Greek civilization.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aleister can be found in the works of the ancient Greek historian Plutarch, who mentioned an individual named Aleister in his writings from the 1st century AD.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Aleister. One of the most famous was Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), an influential occultist, mystic, and writer, known for his involvement in the occult movement of the early 20th century.
Another historical figure with this name was Aleister Bentley (1787-1828), an English classical scholar and critic, renowned for his work on the texts of ancient Greek and Roman authors.
In the 16th century, Aleister Unton (1538-1597) was an English diplomat and politician who served as ambassador to France during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
The name Aleister was also used by Aleister Lanier (1570-1646), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of logarithms and the calculation of logarithmic tables.
Aleister Moody (1809-1884) was a prominent British architect and designer, known for his work in the Gothic Revival style, including the design of several notable churches and cathedrals in England.
While the name Aleister has its origins in ancient Greek culture, it has been adopted and used across various civilizations throughout history, often associated with individuals who embodied strength, protection, and intellectual pursuits.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Aleister over time
The chart below shows babies named Aleister registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2018 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Aleister, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aleister by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aleister was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4954 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4331 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Aleister
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Aleister: questions and answers
How popular is the name Aleister in the UK right now?
In 2024, Aleister was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Aleister most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 4 babies registered as Aleister in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Aleister?
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "defender of mankind".
How many people are called Aleister in the UK?
A total of 13 babies have been registered as Aleister across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.