Allison
From a Middle English diminutive form of Alan, Alexander or Alice + -son.
Every Allison since 1880 — 322,944 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Allison
Allison is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #103 in 2025 with 2,564 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 322,944 American babies have been named Allison. Its peak came in 1994, when 8,163 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Allison stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Allison year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,564 | #103 | 6 | #10,756 |
| 2024 | 2,631 | #99 | 8 | #9,026 |
| 2023 | 2,650 | #100 | — | — |
| 2022 | 2,714 | #101 | 6 | #10,931 |
| 2021 | 3,140 | #82 | 6 | #10,862 |
| 2020 | 3,161 | #80 | 6 | #10,661 |
| 2019 | 3,440 | #78 | 5 | #12,230 |
| 2018 | 3,694 | #70 | 8 | #8,856 |
| 2017 | 4,037 | #61 | — | — |
| 2016 | 4,786 | #50 | 5 | #12,283 |
| 2015 | 5,356 | #39 | 10 | #7,516 |
| 2014 | 5,476 | #39 | 9 | #8,163 |
| 2013 | 5,446 | #34 | 12 | #6,620 |
| 2012 | 5,428 | #38 | 8 | #8,895 |
| 2011 | 5,472 | #40 | 10 | #7,523 |
| 2010 | 5,868 | #38 | 9 | #8,176 |
| 2009 | 6,581 | #30 | 10 | #7,711 |
| 2008 | 6,241 | #32 | 19 | #4,905 |
| 2007 | 5,454 | #46 | 5 | #12,444 |
| 2006 | 5,564 | #47 | 6 | #10,733 |
| 2005 | 5,634 | #45 | 13 | #5,885 |
| 2004 | 5,873 | #40 | 24 | #3,738 |
| 2003 | 5,850 | #46 | 10 | #6,738 |
| 2002 | 6,239 | #44 | 16 | #4,712 |
| 2001 | 6,215 | #44 | 19 | #4,130 |
| 2000 | 6,315 | #44 | 9 | #6,858 |
| 1995 | 8,126 | #34 | 21 | #3,194 |
| 1990 | 7,136 | #48 | 24 | #2,699 |
| 1985 | 7,028 | #46 | 27 | #2,072 |
| 1980 | 4,868 | #59 | 28 | #1,966 |
| 1975 | 3,347 | #89 | 20 | #2,206 |
| 1970 | 2,630 | #133 | 27 | #1,658 |
| 1965 | 3,044 | #128 | 35 | #1,295 |
| 1960 | 1,068 | #277 | 54 | #1,045 |
| 1955 | 340 | #498 | 36 | #1,256 |
| 1950 | 157 | #681 | 39 | #1,139 |
| 1945 | 47 | #1,142 | 36 | #1,080 |
| 1940 | 24 | #1,592 | 34 | #1,137 |
| 1935 | 31 | #1,307 | 45 | #941 |
| 1930 | 17 | #2,026 | 48 | #977 |
| 1925 | 18 | #2,120 | 68 | #801 |
| 1920 | 23 | #1,754 | 57 | #911 |
| 1915 | 13 | #2,257 | 48 | #893 |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,415 | 11 | #983 |
| 1905 | — | — | 7 | #1,004 |
| 1900 | — | — | 9 | #903 |
| 1895 | — | — | 8 | #797 |
| 1890 | — | — | 11 | #604 |
| 1885 | — | — | 10 | #605 |
| 1880 | — | — | 6 | #812 |
Famous people named Allison
- Allison Janney Actor · b. 1959
- Allison Mack Actor · b. 1982
- Allison Tolman Actor · b. 1981
- Allison Schmitt Swimmer · b. 1990
- Allison Williams Actor · b. 1988
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Allison mean?
From a Middle English diminutive form of Alan, Alexander or Alice + -son.
How popular is the name Allison in 2025?
Allison ranked #103 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,564 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Allison?
322,944 babies have been named Allison in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Allison most popular?
Allison peaked in 1994, when 8,163 newborns received the name.
Is Allison a boy or girl name?
Allison is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Allison rising or falling?
Allison is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Allison?
Well-known people named Allison include Allison Janney (actor), Allison Mack (actor), Allison Tolman (actor).