Girl
Germanic
3 syllables
Alison
AL-ih-sun
/ˈæl.ɪ.sən/
"Noble kind" — a medieval French diminutive of Alice that became a modern classic
Alison is an Old French diminutive of Alice, ultimately from the Germanic Adalheidis meaning noble kind. It was used in medieval England and France, appearing in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. After centuries of relative dormancy it revived strongly in the mid-20th century in Britain and North America, and remains a perennially popular choice known for its friendly, grounded character.
Quick Facts
Letters6
SyllablesAl · i · son
GenderGirl
OriginGermanic
Root WordAdalheidis
MeaningNoble, of noble kind
PopularityPopular
Peak Year1988
Trend
→ Stable
Name DayJune 21
Nicknames
AliAllieSonnyAlly
About the Name Alison
Alison means noble or of noble kind, as it is an Old French diminutive of Alice, which comes from the Germanic Adalheidis.
Alison originated in medieval France as a diminutive of Alice and was used in England and Scotland from the 13th century. Chaucer used it in the Canterbury Tales.
Alison is consistently popular in the US, ranking in the top 100. It peaked in the late 1980s and remains a well-loved classic.
Alison Grace, Alison Marie, and Alison Claire are timeless combinations that complement the name's warm, accessible character.
Alisons are often described as friendly, smart, and reliable — a grounded name with genuine warmth.
Both Alison and Allison are common. Alison is the older, more traditional spelling, while Allison with double L is also widely used in North America.
Personality of Alison
Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Alison
Creativity
76%
Elegance
78%
Independence
80%
Intelligence
82%
Strength
74%
Warmth
86%
Famous People Named Alison
A
Alison Wonderland
Australian DJ and electronic music producer
A
Alison Brie
American actress known for Community and GLOW
A
Alison Krauss
American bluegrass and country singer, 27-time Grammy winner
Middle Names for Alison
Beautiful combinations that flow well with Alison
Alison Marie
Alison Grace
Alison Rose
Alison Jane
Alison Kate
Alison Leigh
Alison Claire
Alison Anne
Alison Brooke
Alison Faith
Names Similar to Alison
Similar Sound
Similar Meaning
Sibling Name Ideas
History of Alison
1380
Alison appears in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales as a vibrant female character
1700
Name common in Scotland and northern England as a diminutive of Alice
1960
Alison revives strongly in the UK and US
1988
Alison reaches peak US popularity, ranking in the top 50
Numerology & Symbolism of Alison
7
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
7
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
♍
Zodiac Affinity
Libra
7
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Periwinkle
💎
Lucky Stone
Sapphire
🌸
Lucky Flower
Forget-Me-Not
Alison Around the World
How Alison is written in different languages and scripts
أليسون
Arabic
アリソン
Japanese
Алисон
Russian
앨리슨
Korean
阿莉森
Chinese
Αλίσον
Greek
एलीसन
Hindi
אַלִיסוֹן
Hebrew
Looking for Name Ideas?
Explore our name inspiration guides