Alastair
Meaningdefender of men · Scottish form of Alexander
- US rank
- #2,145
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #2,145 in 2025
67 babies were named Alastair in the US in 2025. It has climbed 835 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1922–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Alastair you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Alastair
Alastair Reynolds
British science fiction author (born 1966)
Choose Alastair and your child shares a first name with Alastair Reynolds, a British science fiction author. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Alastair, like who?” Alastair Reynolds's Wikipedia article is available in 21 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Alastair Reynolds on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Robert Day, CC BY-SA 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 25,510 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Alastair, 67 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Alastair would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryAlastair first shows up in US birth records in 1922, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 103 years since.
- Best yearAlastair is at its all-time high right now: #2,145 in 2025.
- Then vs nowAlastair is 5.9× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 151,515 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 25,510.
- TrendAlastair has climbed 835 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #2,145. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedAlastair is most popular in Oregon, where it ranks #529. It's in the top 1,000 in 1 state.
- MeaningAlastair is a Scottish form of Alexander, which means “defender of men”. Our records link it to English and Scottish roots.
About the name Alastair
Alastair is a boy name of English 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 Alastair for boys from 1922 to 2025, in 59 of those 104 years. Its best year was 2025, when it ranked #2,145 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #2,145, with 67 babies.
Origin:English namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 1.9 | 512,821 boys |
| 1940s | 0.3 | 2,941,176 boys |
| 1960s | 0.5 | 1,923,077 boys |
| 1970s | 2.8 | 352,113 boys |
| 1980s | 7.8 | 128,370 boys |
| 1990s | 7.8 | 128,205 boys |
| 2000s | 11 | 87,413 boys |
| 2010s | 22 | 44,563 boys |
| 2020s | 32 | 30,832 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Alastair
What does the name Alastair mean?
Alastair means “defender of men” in Scottish, as a form of Alexander.
What is the origin of the name Alastair?
Alastair has English, Scottish roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Alastair a boy or girl name?
Alastair is a boy name.
How popular is the name Alastair?
Alastair ranked #2,145 for US boys in 2025, given to 67 babies. Its best year was 2025 (#2,145).