Alison
3 syllables
♀ Female ◎ English / French ◈ 3 syllables
"Noble, Graceful"

From English / French

Alison means noble sort — from the Old French Alis (Alice) with a diminutive suffix. Elvis Costello's Alison is one of the most heartbreaking pop songs. The Alison Krauss voice is country music's most angelic. Pretty Little Liars' Alison DiLaurentis is TV's most mysterious queen bee. Three syllables of single-L nobility, heartbreak ballads, and bluegrass-angel vocals.

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Alison at a glance
MeaningNoble, Graceful
OriginEnglish / French
GenderFemale
Syllables3
NumerologyLife Path 7
US Rank (today)#419
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Why parents love Alison
  • Elvis Costello's Alison is one of pop's most heartbreaking songs.
  • Alison Krauss has the most angelic voice in country music.
  • Three syllables with a refined, noble sound: AL-ih-son.
  • Pretty Little Liars' Alison is TV's most mysterious character.
  • Ali is a warm embedded nickname.
The vibe of Alison
nobleCostelloKraussangelicPretty Little Liarsheartbreakbluegrasssingle-L
Origin & history of Alison
Germanic adal (noble) Old French Alis (Alice) + diminutive Alison
1
English / French roots
Alison is the single-L form from the Old French meaning noble sort. Elvis Costello's Alison (1977) is one of the most heartbreaking pop songs. Alison Krauss has the most angelic voice in country/bluegrass. Pretty Little Liars' Alison DiLaurentis is TV's most mysterious character.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Medieval French form; Elvis Costello's Alison (1977).
3
Today
Alison remains a beloved choice, ranking #419 in the US. 116,827 babies have been named Alison since 1905.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
How popular is Alison?
1980 peak year
Today, Alison ranks around #419 in the United States, with roughly 766 new arrivals per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 1980, 2,980 babies were given the name (ranked #101 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 1980s. Alison's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 116,827 babies have been registered as Alison since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
2,980 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #101)
766 Avg. per year
(last decade)
7,660 Total registrations
last 10 years
116,827 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #419) Popular
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
Numerology of Alison
7
Life path number
The Seeker
Wisdom, introspection and spiritual depth.

Alison's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — nobly seeking. People named Alison tend to be refined, angelic, and gifted at making heartbreak sound beautiful.

Makes heartbreak beautiful
Angelic voice
Noble refinement
Costello-level emotion
DiLaurentis mystery
A1
L3
I9
S1
O6
N5
Sum: 25 → Life path 7
Personality of Alison
🔍
Curious & intellectual
Always questioning, always learning.
📚
Deep thinker
Surface answers don't satisfy them.
🌙
Reflective & wise
They think before they speak. Worth hearing.
🦋
Beautifully independent
Their solitude is purposeful, not lonely.
Names that sound like Alison

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Names that combine with Alison

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Alison.

Middle names for Alison

The right middle name turns Alison into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.

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Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Alison is a beautiful choice.
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