The story behind Alistair
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair, from Norman Alexandre or Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-), the stem of ἀνήρ (anḗr, “man”).
Pronunciation
General-American: /ˈæl.ɪ.stɚ/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈæl.ɪ.stə/
Popularity
Alistair ranked #897 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Alistair
Alastair
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair (“Alexander”). Doublet of Alexander.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Alaster
A male given name from Scottish Gaelic, variant of Alistair.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Aleister
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair, from Norman French Alexandre or Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-), the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Allister
Anglicized from Alasdair, the Scottish Gaelic form of Alexander
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Aallotar
From aallotar (“water nymph”). Used as a given name since the late 19th century.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Abacar
Borrowed from Arabic أَبُو بَكْر (ʔabū bakr, literally “father of a young camel; father of a person named Bakr”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Alistair
Angus
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Aonghas, perhaps literally "one choice".
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Blair
From Scottish Gaelic blàr (“field, plain”).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Boyd
From Scottish Gaelic, either buidhe (“blond, yellow, fair”), or a habitational surname from the Isle of Bute in Scotland.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends D
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Alistair
Callum
Scottish surname, shortened from McCallum; also a variant of Calum.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Cameron
From Scottish Gaelic Camshròn, from cam (“crooked, bent”) + sròn (“nose”). Compare Campbell, from Scottish Gaelic cam (“crooked”) + beul (“mouth”).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Corrie
From Scottish Gaelic coire (“cauldron, boiler; corrie”), which denotes a bowl-shaped geographical feature similar to a cirque.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length