Alistair
Boy name · Celtic · English · Scottish
Meaningdefender of men · Scottish form of Alexander
- US rank
- #897
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #885 in 2016
265 babies were named Alistair in the US in 2025. It has climbed 64 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1956–2025
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 Alistair you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Alistair
Alistair Johnston
Canadian soccer player
Choose Alistair and your child shares a first name with Alistair Johnston, a Canadian soccer player. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Alistair, like who?” Alistair Johnston's Wikipedia article is available in 33 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Alistair Johnston on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 6,447 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Alistair, 265 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Alistair would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryAlistair first shows up in US birth records in 1956, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 69 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2016, when it reached #885.
- Then vs nowAlistair is 13× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 81,967 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 6,447.
- TrendAlistair has climbed 64 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #897. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedAlistair is most popular in Colorado, where it ranks #535, followed by Missouri (#559) and Massachusetts (#620). It's in the top 1,000 in 20 states.
- MeaningAlistair is a Scottish form of Alexander, which means “defender of men”. Our records link it to Celtic, English and Scottish roots.
About the name Alistair
Alistair is a boy name of Celtic, 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 Alistair for boys from 1956 to 2025, in 59 of those 70 years. Its best year was 2016, when it ranked #885 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #897, with 265 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesEnglish namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.8 | 1,212,121 boys |
| 1960s | 0.6 | 1,724,138 boys |
| 1970s | 5.9 | 170,648 boys |
| 1980s | 6.1 | 164,745 boys |
| 1990s | 9.8 | 102,145 boys |
| 2000s | 22 | 44,783 boys |
| 2010s | 92 | 10,873 boys |
| 2020s | 145 | 6,904 boys |
Other spellings of Alistair
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
Questions about the name Alistair
What does the name Alistair mean?
Alistair means “defender of men” in Scottish, as a form of Alexander.
What is the origin of the name Alistair?
Alistair has Celtic, English, Scottish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Alistair a boy or girl name?
Alistair is a boy name.
How popular is the name Alistair?
Alistair ranked #897 for US boys in 2025, given to 265 babies. Its best year was 2016 (#885).