Allison
Meaning of Allison
Allison springs from two gracefully intertwined roots—one tracing back to the medieval French pet-form of Alice, itself born of the Old German Adalheidis for “noble one,” and the other wandering through misty Scottish hills as a surname meaning “son of Alan.” Woven together, these strands give Allison an appealing duality: courtly poise on one hand and sturdy clan spirit on the other. Over the decades, American parents have taken a particular shine to the name—its popularity chart resembles a playful sitar riff, cresting high in the late 1990s before settling into today’s comforting Top-100 embrace. To many ears, Allison carries the lilting warmth of a monsoon breeze, suggesting kindness, intellect, and a dash of quiet rebellion; literary types may even wink at the built-in “Alice-in-Wonder-land” echo. Whether whispered in a temple courtyard fragrant with mogra or announced over a school intercom in Minneapolis, Allison feels at once familiar and freshly polished, a timeless choice with just the right hint of sparkle.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as AL-uh-suhn (/æl ə sən/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Allison
| Allison Brooks Janney is an American actress acclaimed for screen and stage work, with an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, seven Emmys, and two Tony nominations. |
| Allison Williams is an American actress who rose from YouTube and improv to a Critics' Choice-nominated role as Marnie on HBO's Girls, later appearing in A Series of Unfortunate Events and Fellow Travelers. |
| Allison Rebecca Stokke Fowler is an American pole vaulter and fitness model who set American high school records and became an internet sensation at 17. |
| William Boyd Allison Davis was a pioneering American educator and anthropologist who in 1942 became the third African American full faculty member at a major white university by joining the University of Chicago where he spent the rest of his career. |
| Allison Wolfe is a Los Angeles based singer, songwriter, writer, and podcaster, a founding member and lead singer of Bratmobile and a leading voice of the riot grrl movement. |
| Allison Renae Holker is an American dancer known for film, television, and concert tours, especially So You Think You Can Dance, where she competed in season 2 and returned as an All Star in seasons 7 to 11 and 14. |
| Allison Tolman is an American actress best known for playing Molly Solverson in Fargo, which earned her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, and Alma Fillcot in Why Women Kill. |
| Allison Jane Falk is a former American soccer defender who played for the Los Angeles Sol and Philadelphia Independence and was a 2010 WPS All Star. |
| Allison Jane Doupe, a Canadian psychiatrist, biologist, and neuroscientist, pioneered avian neurobiology by linking birdsong to human language and won the 2014 Pradel Research Award from the National Academy of Sciences. |
| Allison Otto is an Emmy-winning American documentary film director known for The Thief Collector, The Love Bugs, and Keeper of the Mountains. |
| Allison G. Catheron was a Canadian-born American legislator in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. |
| Allison Parrish is an American poet and creative coder known for pioneering literary Twitter bots, authoring a Processing.py textbook, and teaching at NYU ITP. |
| Catherine Allison Russo is a Democratic Ohio state representative for the 7th District, covering parts of Columbus and Upper Arlington, and served as House Minority Leader from January 2022 to June 2025. |
| Allison Kina Hightower is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA and was selected 15th overall in the 2010 WNBA draft. |
