UK boy's name
Alister
Masculine name of Scottish origin derived from the Gaelic name Alexander.
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.
Alister is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Alister popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3254, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 30 births.
This profile covers 312 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 20% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 608 living people in the UK are called Alister. 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
- • Alister ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 30 boys were registered as Alister.
- • Alister ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #271 in 1997.
- • About 608 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alister as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3254
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
1996
30 births
Estimated living
608
2026
Meaning
What does Alister mean?
The name Alister has its origins in the ancient Gaelic language, which was spoken in parts of Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. It is a Scottish variant of the name Alexander, which itself is derived from the Greek name Alexandros, meaning "defender of men" or "protector of men."
In the Gaelic language, the name Alister is spelled "Alasdair," which is a Gaelic form of the name Alexander. The name was used in Scotland for centuries and was particularly popular among Scottish clans and families with strong ties to the Gaelic culture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alister can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient Irish chronicle that dates back to the 15th century. The Annals mention an individual named "Alasdair mac Domhnaill" who was a member of the powerful MacDonald clan in the Scottish Highlands.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Alister or its variants. One of the most famous was Alister MacKenzie (1870-1934), a renowned Scottish golf course architect who designed some of the world's most prestigious golf courses, including Augusta National Golf Club and Cypress Point Club.
Another notable Alister was Alister Crowley (1875-1947), an English occultist, ceremonial magician, and writer who was known for his controversial and unconventional beliefs and practices. Crowley was a highly influential figure in the occult and esoteric movements of the early 20th century.
In the world of literature, Alister MacKillop (1931-2011) was a Scottish poet and academic who made significant contributions to the study of Scottish literature and culture. He was also a respected authority on the works of Robert Burns.
Alister G. Stalheim (1919-1986) was a Norwegian-American World War II veteran and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States.
Finally, Alister Jack (born 1963) is a Scottish politician who has served as the Secretary of State for Scotland since 2019, representing the Conservative Party.
The name Alister remains a popular choice in Scotland and among those with Scottish heritage, as it evokes a strong connection to the rich Gaelic culture and history of the region.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Alister over time
The chart below shows babies named Alister registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Alister, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 30 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alister by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alister 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 | #3140 | 33 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2644 | 72 | 9 |
| 2000s | #1518 | 123 | 10 |
| 1990s | #807 | 84 | 4 |
Geography
Where Alister is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Alister. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Alister ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #271 in 1997.
Across the UK
Alister in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#727 in 2024
35 years of NRS records, 304 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#271 in 1997
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Alister
-
Alister Pearson
illustrator
British artist
2000-
-
Alister Walker
squash player
Motswana squash player
1982-
-
Alister Lockhart
illustrator
1972-
-
Alister McRae
rally driver
Scottish rally driver
1970-
-
Alister Jack
businessperson; politician; farmer
British politician
1963-
-
Alister James Campbell
rugby union player
Scottish rugby player
1959-
-
Alister Allan
sport shooter
British sport shooter
1944-
-
Alister Cameron
university teacher; classical philologist
Scottish-born American classical philologist (1904-1987)
1904-1987
Related
Names similar to Alister
- 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
Alister: questions and answers
How popular is the name Alister in the UK right now?
In 2024, Alister was ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Alister most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 30 babies registered as Alister in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Alister?
Masculine name of Scottish origin derived from the Gaelic name Alexander.
How many people are called Alister in the UK?
A total of 312 babies have been registered as Alister across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 304 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Alister most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Alister ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #271 in 1997. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.