Name meaning & stats
Alistair
Alistair means “defender of man” (Scottish Gaelic origin). 4,088 US babies since 1940, peak 2025. Notable Alistairs are 2.6× over-represented as rugby players.
What it means
“defender of man”
Scottish GaelicWell documented
In US birth records
Peak year: 2025
4,088 US babies were named Alistair between 1940 and 2025.
Where Alistairs end up
Not enough notable Alistairs yet, so this uses the spelling family: Alistair, Alastair, Alister.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Footballer | 1.3× | Medium · 23 people |
| Politician | 1.2× | Medium · 21 people |
| Professor | 1.2× | Medium · 14 people |
| Rugby player | 2.6× | Medium · 13 people |
Among notable men who are rugby players, the Alistair family show up 2.6× 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…
Alistair has a surprise career: 1.8×
Spelling family
The most common spelling: 42% of the family
- Alistair 42%
- Alister 17%
- Alastair 14%
- Allister 13%
- Aleister 7%
- Alastor 4%
- Alistar 2%
- Alaster 1%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 2025)