Allison
Meaning of Allison
Allison is a variant spelling of Alison, a medieval French pet form of Alice. Alice in turn comes from the Germanic name Adalheidis, made up of elements meaning noble and type, so Allison is usually taken to mean noble. It is pronounced AL-uh-suhn.
Among the best-known bearers is Allison Janney, the American actress who won Emmys for The West Wing and an Oscar for I, Tonya. Allison Williams, star of HBO's Girls and the film Get Out, is another familiar namesake.
In the U.S., Allison was rare before the 1950s and then climbed for decades. It was given most often in 1994, to 8,150 girls, and reached its highest rank, 30th, in 2009. It has fallen since the mid-2010s and ranked 103rd among girls' names in 2025, with 2,564 babies.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as AL-uh-suhn (/æl ə sən/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Allison
| Allison Brooks Janney is an American actress acclaimed for screen and stage work, with an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, seven Emmys, and two Tony nominations. |
| Allison Williams is an American actress who rose from YouTube and improv to a Critics' Choice-nominated role as Marnie on HBO's Girls, later appearing in A Series of Unfortunate Events and Fellow Travelers. |
| Allison Rebecca Stokke Fowler is an American pole vaulter and fitness model who set American high school records and became an internet sensation at 17. |
| Allison Wolfe is a Los Angeles based singer, songwriter, writer, and podcaster, a founding member and lead singer of Bratmobile and a leading voice of the riot grrl movement. |
| Allison Renae Holker is an American dancer known for film, television, and concert tours, especially So You Think You Can Dance, where she competed in season 2 and returned as an All Star in seasons 7 to 11 and 14. |
| Allison Tolman is an American actress best known for playing Molly Solverson in Fargo, which earned her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, and Alma Fillcot in Why Women Kill. |
| Allison Jane Falk is a former American soccer defender who played for the Los Angeles Sol and Philadelphia Independence and was a 2010 WPS All Star. |
| Catherine Allison Russo is a Democratic Ohio state representative for the 7th District, covering parts of Columbus and Upper Arlington, and served as House Minority Leader from January 2022 to June 2025. |
| Allison Kina Hightower is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA and was selected 15th overall in the 2010 WNBA draft. |
