Name meaning & stats
Alison
Alison means “of noble kind” (Germanic origin). 116,688 US babies since 1940, peak 1986. Notable Alisons are 1.4× over-represented as professors.
What it means
“of noble kind”
GermanicWell documented
From Old French Alison, ultimately Adelaide.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1986
116,688 US babies were named Alison between 1940 and 2025.
Where Alisons end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Actor | 0.8× | High · 44 people |
| Writer | 1.0× | High · 38 people |
| Professor | 1.4× | High · 28 people |
| Politician | 0.9× | High · 25 people |
Among notable women who are professors, Alisons show up 1.4× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Alison has a surprise career: 1.7×
Spelling family
1 in 5 Allisons spell it Alison
- Allison 59%
- Alison 22%
- Allyson 10%
- Alyson 6%
- Alisson 1%
- Allisson 1%
- Alysson <1%
- Alicen <1%
- Allisyn <1%
- Alisyn <1%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1986)