How to say it
AL · li · son
ˈæl.ɪ.sən
Feminine
Allison
Noble kind
What it means
Norman French diminutive of Alice (the feminine of the Germanic Adalheidis, 'noble kind'). Originally Alison (one L); the double-L spelling is American and 20th-century.
Allison comes from Alison, a medieval Norman French diminutive of Alice (the feminine of the Germanic Adalheidis, 'noble kind'). The name dropped out of regular use after the 16th century and was revived as a first name in the 20th-century US, where the double-L Allison spelling became more common than the single-L Alison. Allison Williams (Girls, Get Out) and Allison Janney (The West Wing, I, Tonya) are the modern English-language anchors. It's been in the US top 100 since 1981. Common shorts: Allie, Ally, Al, Sonny.
How to spell Allison
The standard spelling is Allison. Common variants include Alison, Alyson, Allyson, but Allison is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #30 in 2009, currently #103 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed August 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Allison (double L) is the dominant US spelling; Alison (single L) is the British and original form. Same pronunciation.
Who's worn it
- Allison Janney American actress, The West Wing and I, Tonya (Oscar)
- Alison Bechdel American cartoonist, Fun Home and the Bechdel test
Spelling variants
- Alison
- Alyson
- Allyson
Names with the same feeling
See Allison from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Allison mean?
- Norman French diminutive of Alice (the feminine of the Germanic Adalheidis, 'noble kind'). Originally Alison (one L); the double-L spelling is American and 20th-century.
- What does Allison mean in Germanic?
- In Germanic, Allison means "Noble kind." Allison comes from Alison, a medieval Norman French diminutive of Alice (the feminine of the Germanic Adalheidis, 'noble kind'). The name dropped out of regular use after the 16th century and was revived as a first name in the 20th-century US, where the double-L Allison spelling became more common than the single-L Alison. Allison Williams (Girls, Get Out) and Allison Janney (The West Wing, I, Tonya) are the modern English-language anchors. It's been in the US top 100 since 1981. Common shorts: Allie, Ally, Al, Sonny.
- Is Allison short for Alice?
- Yes. Allison is a short form of Alice, and it carries the same meaning, "Noble kind." These days many parents use Allison as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce Allison?
- Allison is pronounced ˈæl.ɪ.sən. Say it as AL-li-son, with the stress on the "al" syllable.
- How do you spell Allison?
- The standard spelling is Allison. Common spelling variants include Alison, Alyson, Allyson.
- Is Allison a boy or girl name?
- Allison is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Allison?
- Allison ranked #103 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.