Allison is a feminine given name of English origin. It is derived from the Germanic elements adal, meaning "noble," and swiu, which means "strength" or "power." Therefore, Allison can be interpreted to mean "noble strength" or "powerful noblewoman."
The name Allison has been in use for centuries, with its earliest recorded instances appearing in medieval England. However, it was not particularly popular until the mid-20th century when it began to gain traction and became quite common during the 1980s and 1990s.
Allison is often associated with notable figures such as Allison Janney, an American actress known for her role in The West Wing, and Allison Crowe, a Canadian singer-songwriter. While these individuals have contributed to the familiarity of the name, it is important to note that its popularity predates their successes.
In terms of variations, Allison can be spelled with one or two Ls, as well as with different capitalization styles (e.g., Allison, allison). Some common nicknames and related names include Alli, Ally, Alleen, Alison, Alix, and Allana.
Based on the statistical data provided for the name Allison in the United States from 1880 to 2022, we can observe several trends over time.
From 1880 to around 1964, the number of births with the name Allison fluctuated between a low of 5 and a high of 72. The highest peak during this period occurred in 1916 with 67 births. After 1964, there was a significant decline in the popularity of the name Allison, with fewer than 50 births recorded each year until 1986.
However, from 1986 onwards, there was a resurgence in the popularity of the name Allison, with numbers ranging from a low of 8 to a high of 47 births per year. The most recent data shows that the number of births with the name Allison has stabilized at around 6-10 births per year since 2008.
In total, there have been 3,811 recorded births with the name Allison in the United States between 1880 and 2022. This data illustrates how the popularity of names can change over time, with Allison experiencing periods of both high and low popularity throughout history.