Alistair is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Alistair means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Alistair across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Alistair has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Alistair is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “defender of men”. A Scottish form of Alexander.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 4,088 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 3,536 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 4,007 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 49 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 112 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 429 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Alistair per year, England & Wales (1996 to 2025). England & Wales peaked in 1996 (294/yr) · United States peaked in 2025 (265/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1981 (148/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (8/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1979 (7/yr).
Alistair is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2025, when it ranked #1,845 nationally (given to 358 babies that year).
Alister · Alastor · Allister · Aleister · Alastair · Alasdair · Alistar · Alaster
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