Alasdair
Meaningdefender of men · Scottish form of Alexander
- US rank
- #3,848
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #3,149 in 2015
28 babies were named Alasdair in the US in 2025. It has climbed 692 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1989–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Alasdair you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Alasdair
Alasdair Gray
Scottish writer and artist (1934–2019)
Choose Alasdair and your child shares a first name with Alasdair Gray, a Scottish writer and artist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Alasdair, like who?” Alasdair Gray's Wikipedia article is available in 35 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Alasdair Gray on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Günter Prust, CC BY 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 60,976 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Alasdair, 28 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Alasdair would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryAlasdair first shows up in US birth records in 1989, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 36 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2015, when it reached #3,149.
- Then vs nowAlasdair is 4.0× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 243,902 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 60,976.
- TrendAlasdair has climbed 692 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #3,848. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- MeaningAlasdair is a Scottish form of Alexander, which means “defender of men”. Our records link it to Gaelic and Scottish roots.
About the name Alasdair
Alasdair is a boy name of Gaelic and Scottish origin meaning “defender of men”. It has 8 letters and 3 syllables, starting with A and ending in “-air”. US birth records list Alasdair for boys from 1989 to 2025, in 31 of those 37 years. Its best year was 2015, when it ranked #3,149 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #3,848, with 28 babies.
Origin:Gaelic namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.5 | 400,000 boys |
| 1990s | 2.2 | 452,489 boys |
| 2000s | 4.2 | 236,407 boys |
| 2010s | 12 | 83,612 boys |
| 2020s | 16 | 62,112 boys |
More Gaelic boy names
- Boy name: Liam · resolute protector
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Miles · possibly gracious
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Myles · possibly gracious
- Boy name: Callum · dove
- Boy name: Declan · possibly full of goodness
- Unisex name: Connor · lover of hounds
Questions about the name Alasdair
What does the name Alasdair mean?
Alasdair means “defender of men” in Scottish, as a form of Alexander.
What is the origin of the name Alasdair?
Alasdair has Gaelic, Scottish roots in our records. Other Gaelic names include Liam, Owen, Miles.
Is Alasdair a boy or girl name?
Alasdair is a boy name.
How popular is the name Alasdair?
Alasdair ranked #3,848 for US boys in 2025, given to 28 babies. Its best year was 2015 (#3,149).