The Baby Name Wizard

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Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Allison!

Comments and insights on the name Allison: | Edit

This name fits in anywhere - it's not trendy, it's not old, it's just right.

I found this on a list of top 20 "whitest" names for girls.

Personal experiences with the name Allison: | Edit

My name is Allison and I've always loved it. It always fit in with the Jennifer's and Lauren's in school, but stood out (I was born 1980). I was able to have a cute nickname (Alli) in school, but had the more sophisticated Allison to use once I was an adult. It's a great name choice!

My name is Allison also, and I've never liked it. It has always struck me as bland, and there were too many others named Allison/Alison in my classes (born 1987).

Another Allison here! I have ALWAYS loved my name, I was born in 1970,there were very few "Allison's" growning up,enough so it wasn't strange,but few enough that it was still special.
I do go by "Ali" in my everyday life,I think it sounds fun & bubbly.I have been told by guys that they think the name "Ali" is sexy too.
Allison works great for my professional life & works well with almost all middle & last names.

My name is Allison, and I have never really liked it. I do not ever go by Ally--I picture Ally as a bubbly, blonde, cheerleader type, which is definitely not me! People do sometimes assume I go by Ally. I was born in 1987, and since Allison was moderately popular I have always known a few other Al(l)isons. Other names my parents considered for me were Rebecca, Claire, and Whitney.

This is my daughter's name, who is going on 12 years old (born in 1997). I really didn't think it was as popular at the time as it was, but I still feel it's a beautiful and classic name. Her name fits in with those of her classmates and peers (i.e. Taylor, Dakota, Madison, Emma) yet it seems like a name with more staying power than the trendier ones. Her friends call her "Alli."

Nicknames for Allison: | Edit

Allie, Ally, Alli, Al, Alice
My favorite is Lissy!

Meanings and history of the name Allison: | Edit

Alison/Allison has two etymologies. Alison and all of its variations are from Alicen, a feminine French diminutive of Alice. However, the name also derived as a masculine English matronymic meaning "son of Alice." Alice derives from the Greek "aletheia," meaning "truth."

Famous real-life people named Allison: | Edit

Alison Arngrim, American actress
Alison Braden, Canadian water polo player
Alisyn Camerota, American television news anchor
Alison Doody, actress
Alison Eastwood, American actress and businesswoman
Allison Fisher, snooker champion
Alison Forman, Australian footballer
Alison Goldfrapp, English musician
Ali Hewson, campaign worker & wife of U2's lead singer Bono
Allison Iraheta, American Idol contestant
Allison Janney, American actress
Alison Kennedy, Scottish author
Alison King, English actress, Carla Connor in Coronation Street
Alison Krauss, American musician
Alison Lohman, American actress
Alison Mac, British actress
Alison Moyet, English singer and actress
Alison Pill, Canadian actress
Alison Richard, Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University
Alison Rowatt, Scottish field hockey midfielder
Alison Sweeney, American actress
Alison Sudol, American musician

Allison in song, story & screen: | Edit

"Alison", song by Elvis Costello
The female lead in Nicholas Sparks's "The Notebook" is Allison "Allie" Nelson
Allison MacKenzie, a character in Peyton Place, was played by Mia Farrow
"Hello Allison", by Scapegoat Wax
"Allison's Starting to Happen" by The Lemonheads
"Alison Road" by Gin Blossoms
"Alison" by the Pixies
Allison Cameron, a character in the television series House
Allison Taylor, cartoon character in the television series The Simpsons
Allison Taylor, fictional President of the USA in the television series 24
Allison Vernon-Williams, female lead character on the movie Cry-Baby
Allison Reynolds; a character in The Breakfast Club (1985) played by Ally Sheedy