Alison, Allison, Allyson are all variants of the feminine French name Alice, which itself is rooted in the Germanic name Adelaide. It means "noble" "graceful" and "kind". Source found on name history's and History of names website.
Alison [al-uh-suhn] is a female given name that has many kinds of spellings. It was originally in medieval Norman French. It was derived from the name Alice.
Actually this and Allison or any other variation spellings, has always been a female name. It's the Norman French form of Alice, so the -son ending doesn't mean "son of".
Alison Lee is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. She was ranked number 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 16 weeks in 2013–14.
Very pretty and it reminds me of alyssum in my opinion.
― Anonymous User 9/4/2022
4
I'll add that in France, we'd add an s to pronounce it properly. Alison or Allison with only 1 s would get it pronounced alizon. Oh, and the "on" would not be pronounced "onnn" either. I doubt it was any different in medieval times, if this article is correct... So Alison pronounced [Alison] would only work as an anglo-saxon name, they are still "à la mode", after all.
Alison Blaire is a mutant in the Marvel Comics universe. She can use her power to convert vibrations and sound waves into lasers and light beams. She later becomes part of the X-Men, using her stage name, Dazzler.
We named our daughter Allison 50 years ago today. She is beautiful, face and soul. 235 people posted on her fb page to wish her a happy birthday today. She was Homecoming Queen in high school because she had so many friends and still does all these years later. I believe the first gift you give your child is their name. We felt it was a very feminine name and soft to hear and pronounce. She never knew another Allison all through school/college and I have never personally met another in all these years, so so much for people saying it's a common name, personally don't think so.
― Anonymous User 7/20/2021
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This is so much better than Allison.Alison looks more classic, medieval and balanced.Allison looks like a trendy 70s name.
― Anonymous User 5/29/2021
2
Alison Lauren DiLaurentis is the main character in the television series Pretty Little Liars and Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists on Freeform.
I honestly like Alice better, or even Alisa or Alyssa. Ally is a great nickname! I know a girl named Alisson (note the double s’s) and she’s kinda strange. Her parents altered the spelling of a fine name to be special. Good song for this name though.
― Anonymous User 4/11/2021
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The nickname Ali is absolutely adorable!
― Anonymous User 2/25/2021
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Beautiful name whether spelled Alison or Allison. Has always been feminine, nothing about this name is for a male.
― Anonymous User 2/19/2021
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I’ve always liked this name and especially love the nickname, Ali.
― Anonymous User 1/3/2021
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Alison Moyet (born Geneviève Alison Jane Moyet; 1961) is an English singer, songwriter and performer noted for her powerful bluesy contralto voice. She came to prominence as half of the duo Yazoo, but has since mainly worked as a solo artist.
Beautiful. Classic. Easy to pronounce and sounds feminine.
― Anonymous User 8/13/2020
7
I like it. A nice way around the name Alice/Adelaide. It will often be misspelled as Allison (especially if you live in America), but it's easy to correct people. This name is somewhat common, I have probably seen and heard of more Alisons and Allisons than Emmas, Sophias, Olivias, Isabellas, and the like, but is still pretty. If you want to name your child Alison, Allison, or another variant spelling, be aware that there may be another Alison/Allison in her/his class, and she/he might have to specify which Alison/Allison she/he is.Also, I think something really needs clarification here. Alison (with 1 L) is a feminine name only. It does not mean, "male child of X", and has always been a feminine name. However, Allison (with 2 Ls) is both a feminine and masculine name. Allison can be either a variant of Alison and derived from the surname Allison for girls, or derived from the surname for boys. :)
This is my name and I am very proud of it! People misspell it as “Allison” all the time, but I like that my spelling is more unique and also the original European spelling.
Quite pretty. I prefer this spelling.Also, Alison has a different origin from Madison and Addison. Alison was always a feminine name and was never a surname! The -son does not mean "son of ___" for Alison as it is of French origin.Had to put that there because some people on this site like to use the "Alison card" with -son names that were originally male.
― Anonymous User 4/19/2020
1
Alison Skipworth (London, 25 July 1863 - New York City, 5 July 1952) was a British born character actress. She acted on Broadway before shooting a few short silents in 1912, then she went back to the stage. She reassumed her Hollywood career in 1930, when she was 67, and continued to appear in movies until her retirement from the screen in 1938. Later she returned again to Broadway, and left the profession for good in 1942.
I love the name Alison! It's very classy, respectable, elegant, sophisticated, vintage and beautiful. Xoxo :) And I think the nicknames Allie and Allybear are cute. :)
― Anonymous User 2/17/2020
2
Alison is Taylor Swift’s middle name. Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. She is known for narrative songs about her personal life, which have received widespread media coverage. At age 14, Swift became the youngest artist signed by the Sony/ATV Music publishing house and, at age 15, she signed her first record deal. Wikipedia.
― Anonymous User 2/17/2020
3
Pretty, although popular. I like this spelling the most.
― Anonymous User 2/7/2020
3
The only girl name that should have son in it is Alison.
I’m not a big fan of Alison. What’s so special about it? I know more Alisons than Emmas, Isabellas, Sophias, etc. (not my point though) I just don’t think this is unique.
I have always loved this name and thought of it as a classic beauty!
― Anonymous User 11/4/2019
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According to howmanyofme.com, there are sixteen people in the U.S. named Alison Allison and twenty-nine named Allison Allison. (The one-l version also occurs as a surname, but nobody named Al(l)ison seems to have it.)
In 2018, 24 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Alison who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 488th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
― Anonymous User 10/22/2018
4
Alison Arngrim is the actress who played Nellie Oleson in the TV series, 'Little House on the Prairie' (1974-1983).
Alison is really one of the only -son names that works for a girl because it was never meant to imply son of, but rather just a diminutive of Alice (or in Medieval France, Alis). I would never let my son bear this name, no sir I would not. But it’s very pretty for girl, if a bit common. I don’t like Allison though and I would not call Alison Allie because in my opinion, Allie, Ally and Alli is a nickname for Alexandra.
Alison "Ali" Hewson is an Irish activist and businesswoman. She is the wife of singer and musician Paul Hewson, known as Bono, from the rock group U2. Raised in Raheny, she met her future husband at a young age at Mount Temple Comprehensive School and married him in 1982. She was awarded a degree in politics and sociology from University College Dublin in 1989. The couple have four children together and live at residences in Ireland, France, and the United States. She has inspired several U2 songs, most famously "Sweetest Thing".
I like the name Alison and my daughter's name is Alison Lea Madison. We call her Allie or Ally- yes her nickname has two LL's in it, but just because it has 'son' in it doesn't mean it's bad thing.
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in 1987. She was invited to join the band with which she still performs, Alison Krauss and Union Station, and later released her first album with them as a group in 1989.
Alison Fesq Haislip is an American actress and former TV correspondent for Attack of the Show! On G4 and the NBC reality competition series The Voice. Haislip is a native of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey and graduate of Voorhees High School. She graduated with honours from Boston College, having studied theater. She also trained at the British American Drama Academy. Afterwards, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
I read somewhere that Alison was an Irish Gaelic name meaning, "Strong Silent One". I find it interesting to see so many comments that it's of French origin... and that so many write that they think it an ugly name. Curious... :)
The name Alison to me is boring and plain. I don't think it's especially feminine or pretty. I know a ton of Alisons and I don't really like hearing it ten times a day.
― Anonymous User 1/2/2017
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In China, Alison is translated into 艾莉森,the pronunciation of “son” sounds like the Chinese character “森”,which means forest. I think it's so beautiful.
Love my name, it was popular in Scotland, which is why my Mam chose it. While it can be either male or female, the spelling with two Ls 'Allison' is often a surname in the UK, example Malcolm Allison. Character traits listed for the name are dainty, truthful, brave, noble & graceful. Any other Alisons I know are also strong independent women, who are warm, generous, funny and strive to improve this World. I'm an Energy Healer & Astrologer.
I honestly never liked my name Allison because it was such a popular name and not very unique. I always just wanted a cool name. My middle name is also common and I never enjoyed it. My name was supposed, to be more unique but no one could pronounces it unless you speak spanish. Allison is a nice name, I just wish not a lot of people had it.
Additional men with the given name Alison/AllisonAllison Burnett, famous male author. http://allisonburnett.com/Essays/Boy_Essay.htmlOn September 15, 1964, three months and a day before my sixth birthday (and fifteen years to the day before my father's liver gave out), the primetime soap opera, Peyton Place, made its debut on network TV. One of the characters was a waif named Allison Mackenzie. Viewers didn't care or even notice that Allison spelled her name like a boy, they just knew that they loved her." Overnight, the actress who played her, Mia Farrow, became a household name, and Allison became one of the most popular girls' names in the English-speaking world. And that is the main reason Americans believe that Alison is only a woman's name.Alison Henrique Mira Famous male soccer player https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Alison+Henrique+Mira.
― Anonymous User 8/30/2016
-1
I am male and my first name/given name is Alison, so stop the judgment and belief that it is not a man's name. My friend's Uncle's name is Alison. And yes, it can mean Alice's son just the like original meaning for Jackson is Jack's son etc... I am posting this for educational purposes. In countries including Brazil, Portugal and Indonesia, Alison and variant forms are also used as masculine given names.
Alison last entered the top 1000 baby names for males in the United States in 1946, when it ranked #968. In the 1910s it ranked from 667 to 981 with an average of #835, and in the first decade of the 20th century, it ranked as high as #927.[7]
― Anonymous User 8/30/2016
2
The only -son name even remotely acceptable for a female, ha ha. I don't care much for the name, though. It simply feels bland and lifeless to me, though I don't think it's a bad choice.
Think Alis-on, not Ali-son, it's a form of Alice. No son of Ali. This is a girl name. Madison and Addison were masculine, but Alison is a form of Alice. 1. Alice-in, not Ali-son. 2. Alice-in Wonderland is a reminder. Think Alice-in. 3. This is more feminine. 4. Better than Alice.
Just because it has "Alli" or "Son" in it doesn't mean that it's a boys name. "Alli" can be a girl's name so if you are one of the people that said this and think I'm wrong then check this out, (I looked it up on the internet) because it's as much as a girl's name as it is a boy's. "It was popular until the early 19th century and, spelled Allison, was the 45th most common name given to baby girls in the United States in 2005 (Allyson was #253; Alison, #259; Alyson, #468; Allie, #256; Ally, #656; and Alice, #414).""Total* Population in Top 1000: 235281 (0.65% male, 99.35% female)" This is for a girl... "Total* Female Population in Top 1000: 233754" This is for a boy... "Total* Male Population in Top 1000: 1527" SEE THE DIFFERENCE
In Scotland, by 1900, Alison ranked 66th. Fast forward half a century later and it rose up to 40th place. Though it wasn't as popular in England in 1900, by 1950, it also became more popular there.Looking at the 18th and 19th century censuses from Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and the United States, it seems quite clear that Alison was sort of commonly used in Scotland in the 18th and 19th centuries with some of the Alison's recorded in censuses from outside of Scotland originating from there, so it seems to me that the name may have been reintroduced to a wider population throughout England and spread to other parts of the UK & Ireland and the English-speaking world in the early to mid 20th century via Scotland.
This is my name, but I spell it "Allison." To those of you who think it is masculine, please be aware that the name comes from "Alice." When looking at this name, try to see it as Alis-on and not Ali-son. Where I live, this is a pretty rare name, so I don't get stuck with any overused names. I used to hate my name, but as I grew older, I understood that it means "of noble sort", and eventually grew to love it, as well as other names with the same meaning. I believe this is an elegant name and pretty much screams beautiful, but that's just my opinion, not to sound like a snob, because I try not to be.
My sister in law named her kid after my sister Alisyne Rosalie. My niece's name is Alicyne Mary. My family and friends call my sister Rose because she hated the name Allison anyway you spelled it until our niece came along. We started to call my sister Ali and our niece Alice. My sister in law was born in the year 82, my brother was born in the year of 81, Ali was born in the year of 85, my other brother was born in the year of 86 and me I was born in the year of 90. My niece was born in the year of 99 and her brother was born in the year of 02.
I was christened Alison in Scotland in 1948. I LOVE my name. I have read comments that people called Alison are snobbish. This is plain daft! Your name has nothing to do with your behaviour.
I'm an Alison. Where I am (Scotland), it's one of those names that isn't particularly popular, but it isn't unusual either. It's just a classic name. I've always felt it's quite a serious name, which as an adult I like (I'm in my early 30's now). Only my family call me Ali, in fact I rarely get called anything else by them. I always introduce myself as Alison though. It's nice to have a name which isn't trendy, or loaded with meaning. As an Alison, I recommend it!
― Anonymous User 5/11/2015
5
One of the first names I've ever loved. I prefer the Alison spelling to the Allison spelling because it looks more old fashioned and like it will stand the test of time. Allison is usually to spell Ally/Allie. You can still spell Alison nickname Ally/Allie his way too. Means noble, kind. Yes it has the word son in it but Alice wasn't a dominant male name.
My daughter's name is Alison and I wouldn't have named her any different. She's a beautiful, bright, smart girl, a total sunshine. That's what Alison means.
The best variation of the long list of ways people like to spell Alison. It looks the neatest and least sloppy and only has the letters in there that need to be there.
― Anonymous User 3/29/2015
1
Alison was famously a character in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales! The ribald, rumbustious comedy pairing of Alisoun & John! Funny as my first boyfriend was called John, and doing our English Chaucer homework together, we were highly amused by this early sex com!
I love the name Alison. It's a very sweet and pretty name. ^_^@alisonctla92 I 100% agree with you!
― Anonymous User 11/19/2014
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I hate when people pull the "Alison ends in son but nobody says that's a boy name" crap. Alison does not mean "son of..." Like Madison and Addison do. It originated as a diminutive of Alice and it's a wonderful name, the spelling Allison is beautiful too. It sounds good on any age, something that's hard to say about many names topping the charts these days. I don't like when people use the nickname Allie and spell it Ali though, Ali is a masculine Indian name, pronounced ah-LEE. There is a boy named Ali and a girl named Ali (Alison) in my grade and it's quite confusing.
Actually, Allison was a boy's name. Not sure about Alison though. Personally, I prefer it with 2 l's. (for a girl) very pretty name.
― Anonymous User 1/27/2013
-3
I was born with this name and I have always loved it. I’ve met a few people with the same name, but it was spelled differently. Allie (however it may be spelled) is not the only nickname for Alison. For a period of time, a friend called me Alice. Everyone always compliments me on my name, saying that it’s beautiful and etc. Nobody ever says that it’s a boy’s name because of the “son” at the end --- and in my opinion that just makes it an all the more original feminine name. It gives it that tomboy flare that’s so popular right now.Although, there is one downside to this name. (That’s only been introduced since we’re reading it) Is Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” --- which if you say it really fast “Alice in” becomes “Alison”. So, I’ve been nicknamed after one of the most famous children’s books characters in the 1800’s. Not that it’s THAT bad.
Alison DiLaurentis is a character in the book series Pretty Little Liars. She was murdered early in the book series. She is portrayed as manipulative and vindictive. But she was one of my favorite characters because she was smart and cunning.
― Anonymous User 8/11/2010
4
This is my name, and although I used to think it was boring and ordinary, I've come to love it! The way I've heard its meaning is "of noble birth". I'll admit, I know several other Alisons who are complete snobs. I think a name and what it means makes an impression on your character. I can assure you that I am not stuck up, & I prefer to think of my name as "noble of character" instead of "born into wealth or status".
― Anonymous User 7/26/2010
3
I never knew this was such an old name until I read The Canterbury Tales. Alison is the name of The Wife of Bath. I didn't used to like this name due to it being the name of a girl I hated in elementary school, but now it's starting to grow on me. I prefer this spelling to Allison.
― Anonymous User 6/2/2010
1
I'm surprised that Alison wasn't a boys name as it sounds quite masculine as 'Ali' is a males name and 'son' is the masculine bit. People keep on saying Madison was for boys but it sounds so feminine compared to Alison which directly has the boys name 'Ali' in it!
― Anonymous User 2/9/2010
-8
You are linking 2 names with completely different origins. Ali is arabic and Alison comes from the old spelling of Alice (Alis) combined with the 'on' ending. The S is linked with the first part of the name and not the end of it, making it Alis-on rather than Ali Son.
As a last name, Allison (and its variants) MAY have a different origin than the feminine first name--at least some sources indicate a (possible) "son of Alec" or some other "Al--" name). The single l spelling is obviously more closely linked to Alice (it's source name, according to most sources). The poster who compared the "-on" ending to that of "Marion" was quite right to do so. Of course, there are masculine Marions as well. (John Wayne was one of them--but of course, he was quick to change it.)
Just as Marion is a medieval French diminutive of Marie, so Alison is of Alice. If we look at it as Alis-on rather than Ali-son we can better appreciate why it's clearly not a name with masculine origins or a masculine vibe. The masculine origins if Addison, Emerson, Madison, by contrast, cannot be denied. Alison is sweet - those surnamey ones are far less suitable for a girl.
Despite being very common, this sounds like the name of some very cool, spunky, intelligent, sexy, sort of unconventional woman with dark hair, gorgeous eyes, and a great body, who isn't afraid to speak her mind and who'll defend her progressive beliefs without giving any sort of special treatment for people from different cultures etc. I hate the nickname Ally, though, and Al sounds like the name of a middle-aged guy. The name sounds strictly feminine to me despite the ending -son. As far as I know, it was never meant to mean ''son of (whoever)''. Not in this case, that is. But the name really is overused.
So let me get this straight. Even thought Alison has SON at the end it's still a feminine name, while names like Madison and Addison are male while having the same ending? Something's wrong here. Since this name has the same ending (son) as Addison and Madison, and the other two are considered as "Male" names, then Alison and Allison should be considered as "male" names too. They all have the same ending, so why shouldn't they "all be for the same gender". If only boys should have the names MadiSON and AddiSON, only boys should have the name AliSON and AlliSON too. It just doesn't make any sense. Anyway. Not a fan of this name. Especially not since it has risen too high on the popularity charts.
Alison is a medieval form of Alice, and BOTH are feminine. Madison and Addison, on the other hand, mean "SON of Maud" and "SON of Adam," respectively. They're masculine. Just because a name has the same ending as another name, doesn't mean they're for the same gender!
― Anonymous User 3/24/2008
12
I, too, know an Alison who I find to be a bit snobby, but that should not turn one off from the name. Yet I do acknowledge that, in writing, it looks a bit masculine, though I do not find it to be so when pronounced.An easy solution to this is simply to respell it as Al(l)ison(n)e.The name would sound like [ɑlisɔ̃] in its original French spelling, and one does not hear the "n" at all. If someone were to bear my respelling of the name, however, it would actually sound like [ɑliso:n] instead.
This name is ridiculous on a boy. Just because it has -son on the end, like Madison or Addison, does NOT make it masculine.On another note, I'm not too fond of this name. I prefer this spelling to others like Allison, Alyson, and Allyson, but I also much prefer older forms of Alison like Alice and Adelaide.
― Anonymous User 2/19/2008
2
Don't like this spelling. I've had an Alyson in my house for 13 years, so this spelling or any other spelling besides Alyson and Allyson look weird.
Oh come on! Since when did having 'son' on the end of a name make it masculine? I've never met a guy called Alison. I think Alison is a beautiful name.
:D Excellent name. For a girl. Who on earth would name their poor son this?!? I like the nickname Alli for Alison. I don't mean to offend men named this, but this name sounds horrible on a man.
― Anonymous User 12/7/2007
3
I really like this name. This spelling is much better than the double L spelling more common in the US. I would consider this name for a daughter, especially since Elvis Costello's beautiful song 'Alison' is a lovely connotation.
I have a friend named Alison. It is a French name which is a mix between the name Alice and Louise. Therefore, I believe it should be spelt Alison, with one L and an I. I nickname my friend Ali.
I think the name Alison reminds me of clear blue water and the sunshine, it would make a really pretty name for a girl with light tones (blond hair and blue eyes). I love the name!
I think Alison is not that great of a name, I just don't like it. There are 3 Alisons in my grade, out of like 220 or something students. They are all very snobby and think they're all that when they're not, I still think the name is okay though. And I really love the nickname Ally. It's really cute.
Tacyla you are incorrect. Alison does not mean Alice's son and in fact it quite made me laugh. Does Madison mean son of Madi? hahaha. Anyway, Alison was a Medieval nickname of Alice revived in recent times. It's beautiful.
― Anonymous User 1/22/2007
6
Alison comes from a diminuitive of Alice, hence Alison. The '-son' in this case does not denote anyone's son. However, in the case of Madison, it actually DOES have a 'son of' origin, the son of 'Mad' (from Matthew) or 'Maud,' and it was of course first a surname from this derivation, while Alison has always been a prename.
― Anonymous User 6/8/2007
9
Actually, it's always been female. It's the Norman French form of Alice, so the -son ending doesn't mean "son of".
I love the spelling: Alison. This is because it is different than the usual double l spelling. I also like the nickname: Ali. The name sounds very smart, unique, and mature.
― Anonymous User 10/14/2006
1
Alison Demdike was One of the Pendle Witches who murdered a number of people with Witchcraft. She was tried and hanged, hope it doesn't put anyone off LOL.
― Anonymous User 9/5/2006
1
My name is Alison and has been for the last 15 years. I plan on changing it but then again I may not because where I live it's not a very common name!
Okay. Most of the comments on this name's history and meaning are totally incorrect. Adelais, meaning "noble kind, " eventually morphed into the French/English Alice, and Alison is a medieval form of that name. The end.
― Anonymous User 5/14/2006
2
I think this name in its full form is quite noble and beautiful, but it always seems to get shortened. I prefer this variation over the double-L spelling, which has always seemed less mature to me. My sister's name is Alison, and we spell her nickname "Ali" instead of the usual "Ally."
I really like this name. I think though I like the spelling Allison better. Either or, it is a great name.
― Anonymous User 4/25/2006
4
I like this name. I don't really notice the 'son' on the end. Maybe it's just the town accent or something but around where I live we all pronounced it 'al/is/en". Maybe we just can't talk right, I don't know. lol.
Gwyneth Paltrow's and Chris Martin's daughter's middle name is Alison.
― Anonymous User 10/28/2005
3
I've had the name for 38 yrs. While I have similar dislike issues of the aesthetics, similar to those others have mentioned, my biggest problem has been with preconceived notions others have of those who are named Al(l)i/yson. It seems there is whole contingent of people out there thinking Alisons are aloof, unfriendly, even snotty. They clearly have not met me :) but it was one of those things. (I no longer care). I chose a name for my daughter that not only has great meaning and is aesthetically beautiful, it ranked high in friendliness, intelligence, and was liked by many in a name survey. She is all of those things and more.
I know Alison to mean 'of noble kind' and just because it has 'son' on the end does not make it masculine. Whoever heard something so ridiculous? I like it as it is not such a common, boring name. It is rarer than others making it more special!
So, you're all saying Alison seems like a masculine name just because of the word son. So why don't you all say that Sherman or Sheridan should be feminine names because they have the word she in them?
― Anonymous User 10/25/2008
18
I love this name. It's actually my aunt's name and it's also the name of the girl in The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks. In the actual book, her name is Allison Nelson and in the movie, her name is Allison Hamilton.
I didn't like my name when I was younger but as I grew older I learned to appeciate it. It is a beautiful name. I am not the only one that feels this way.
― Anonymous User 5/21/2005
6
I never liked the name Alison, to be honest. I just don´t like the fact that it has the word "son" in it and I also don´t like the nickname Ally. Alice and Alicia are more beautiful, in my opinion. I dislike Allison even more, though.
― Anonymous User 4/14/2005
-2
Means "Of Sacred Memory". It's also a feminine form of Aloysius. It's also Scottish for Louise. The Americanized version is "Allison".
Source found on name history's and History of names website.