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Home › Baby Names Directory › Aleister

Aleister

♂ Boy

Pronounced AL-i-stər /ˈæl.ɪ.stər/High

Meaning: Variant of Alistair, the Scottish Alasdair — Alexander, Greek for 'defender of mankind'High

In 30 seconds: Alexander in a velvet cape: Aleister is the Alistair spelling that magician Aleister Crowley made infamous — same 'defender of mankind', considerably more candles.
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Origin HighScottish, Greek
MeaningVariant of Alistair, the Scottish Alasdair — Alexander, Greek for 'defender of mankind'
U.S. rank (2025)#2943 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births42 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2020
Total births (all-time)≈ 653

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202019972025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Aleister varies Alistair, the anglicized Scottish Gaelic Alasdair — Alexander, 'defender of mankind'. Its modern flavor is owed almost entirely to occultist Aleister Crowley (1875–1947), whose self-chosen spelling rode his notoriety into heavy metal, horror fiction, and goth-leaning nurseries.

Parents today choose it for elegance, edge, or both; the association is famous enough to mention and faded enough to wear lightly. It remains rare beside Alistair and Alasdair.

Did you know? Aleister Crowley chose this spelling himself — born Edward Alexander, he reworked the Gaelic form partly, legend says, for its more auspicious shape; Ozzy Osbourne's 'Mr. Crowley' sang it into rock.
Overall data confidence 88%
Behind the Name — Alistair — etymology

Variations

AlistairAlasdairAlastair

Nicknames

AlAli

Famous Bearers

  • ★Aleister Crowley (1875–1947)
    English occultist and writer whose self-styled spelling popularized this form.

If you like Aleister…

Alistair— the standard anglicized form of the same name
Edgar— a fellow gothic-literary revival
Lucian— another candlelit classic of the same mood
Alister— another Scottish name
Atticus— the same literary feel

Explore names like Aleister

By themescottishliterarygothic
By meaningProtectorWind / Air

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Aleister mean?

Aleister is a variant of Alistair, the Scottish form of Alexander, meaning 'defender of mankind'.

How do you pronounce Aleister?

It's said AL-i-stər /ˈæl.ɪ.stər/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Aleister a boy or girl name?

Aleister is a boy's name.

How popular is Aleister?

Aleister is a rare spelling in the U.S., carrying a deliberate gothic shimmer.

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