Alison is a distinctive choice, ranked #1603 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Alison in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#1603
US Rank #465
About the Name Alison
Alison has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 365 places in five years. It was most popular in 1996 at #225 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Alison is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #465, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Alison
Unlikely. With around 19 UK babies named Alison per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Alison in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Alison has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 365 places in the last five years. Its peak was #225 in 1996. Choosing it now means she is likely to be among the last of her generation with this name.
Alison is more popular in the US (#465) than in the UK (#1603). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Alison include: Alison Lapper — Alison Lapper MBE is a British artist.; Alison Balsom — Alison Louise Balsom, Lady Mendes, is a retired English trumpet soloist.; James Alison — James Alison is an English Catholic priest and theologian..
Alison appears in the US top 500 at #465 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
19
UK babies named Alison (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 365 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Alison
Likely around 1 other Alison in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Alison
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Alison Lapper MBE is a British artist. She is the subject of the sculpture Alison Lapper Pregnant, which was displayed on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square from September 2005 until late 2007.
James Alison is an English Catholic priest and theologian. Alison is noted for his application of René Girard's anthropological theory to Christian systematic theology and for his work on LGBT issues.
Alison Weir (née Matthews) is a British author and public historian. She primarily writes about the history of English royal women and families, in the form of biographies that explore their historical setting.
Alison Brown is an American banjo player, guitarist, composer, and producer. She has won and has been nominated for several Grammy awards and is often compared to another banjo prodigy, Béla Fleck, for her unique style of playing.