Alistair
Boy name · #899 in 2025 · Uniqueness 56/100
In 2025, 265 baby boys were named Alistair, placing it at #899 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1023, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,792 boys born in 2025 was named Alistair.
The 69-year story
Alistair first appears in the Social Security records in 1956, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 265 babies and a rank of #897. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Alistair per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alistair against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alistair in class?
Alistair scores 56 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Alistair is most common
Geography matters for names, and Alistair is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Alistairs were CA (32), TX (26), FL (16), NY (13), CO (10). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Alistair
Statistically, parents drawn to Alistair tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Alastair, Zyair, Ahmir, Adler, and Zubair.
AlastairZyairAhmirAdlerZubairZahirDamirKabir
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alistair | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 265 | #897 |
| 2024 | 257 | #909 |
| 2023 | 250 | #921 |
| 2022 | 248 | #929 |
| 2021 | 255 | #901 |
| 2020 | 226 | #961 |
| 2019 | 221 | #968 |
| 2018 | 205 | #1009 |
| 2017 | 225 | #929 |
| 2016 | 247 | #885 |
| 2015 | 198 | #1023 |
| 2014 | 179 | #1080 |
| 2013 | 132 | #1305 |
| 2012 | 126 | #1346 |
| 2011 | 108 | #1495 |
| 2010 | 81 | #1806 |
| 2009 | 90 | #1717 |
| 2008 | 68 | #2039 |
| 2007 | 71 | #1972 |
| 2006 | 53 | #2348 |
| 2005 | 42 | #2614 |
| 2004 | 31 | #3158 |
| 2003 | 23 | #3732 |
| 2002 | 26 | #3349 |
| 2001 | 21 | #3842 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Alistair a popular boy name?
Alistair ranked #899 among boys in 2025 with 265 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1023.
When was the name Alistair most popular?
Alistair peaked in 2025, when 265 American boys received the name (ranked #897 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Alistair?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,792 newborn American boys was named Alistair. It scores 56/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.