Alister
Meaning
"defender of men"
Origin: Greek via Gaelic
Cultural Roots
Quick Stats
- Popularity Rank
- #1,650
- Total SSA Count
- 102
- Syllables
- 3
- Formality
- Moderate
- Nicknames
- Al, Ali, Alis
Baby Name Comparison — 2026
"defender of men"
Origin: Greek via Gaelic
"divine gift"
Origin: Greek
Theodore is more popular, ranked #4 vs #1650 for Alister.
Historical US popularity rank — lower number means more popular.
Historical trend data not available for this comparison.
Names that pair well as siblings.
Answer 3 quick questions and we'll help you decide.
1. Which style feels more like your family?
Theodore is more popular, ranked #4 compared to Alister at #1650 in the United States.
Alister means "defender of men" (Greek via Gaelic origin). Theodore means "divine gift" (Greek origin).
Alister is primarily a boy name. Theodore is primarily a boy name.