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Allister

♂ Boy

Pronounced AL-is-ter /ˈæl.is.tər/Medium

Meaning: defender of manMedium

In 30 seconds: Allister is a Scottish Gaelic form of Alexander, meaning 'defender of man,' from a Greek root. It gives the classic name a Highland accent.
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Origin MediumScottish Gaelic (Greek root)
Meaningdefender of man
U.S. rank (2024)#2589 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births51 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,207

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219252024

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

History & Origin

Allister descends from Alexander through Scottish Gaelic, keeping the Greek-rooted meaning 'defender of man.' The Gaelic line produced the forms Alistair, Alastair, and Alasdair, all sharing that defender sense. This spelling is one of several ways the name has been carried into English.

The double-l opening gives it a slightly anglicized look next to the more traditional Alasdair. All the variants point back to the same protective meaning.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Allister is 'defending men', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name - Allister — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSVEtymology — Allister — meaning/etymology

Variations

AlistairAlastairAlasdair

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Allister…

Alistair— the common Scottish spelling of the same 'defender of man' name
Alastair— a closely related Gaelic-rooted variant sharing Allister's meaning
Alexander— the Greek source name meaning 'defender of man'
Sylvester— shares the -er ending
Alder— a similarly popular pick

Browse the whole category: All Scottish Gaelic (Greek root) names →  ·  All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Allister mean?

Allister is usually explained as meaning 'defending men' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Allister?

It's commonly said AL-is-ter /ˈæl.is.tər/.

Is Allister a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Allister is used as a boy name.

How popular is Allister?

In 2024, Allister ranked #2589 in the U.S. for boys, with 51 births recorded.