Allison is a feminine given name of English origin. It is derived from the medieval female given name Alice, which was itself derived from the Old French name Aalis or Adeline. These names are believed to have been variations of the Germanic name Adalheidis, which means "noble and kind."
The name Allison has been in use for centuries, but it gained significant popularity during the 20th century. It became particularly popular in the United States after the 1950s.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne this name. For instance, Allison Janney is a renowned American actress known for her role in the television series "The West Wing," while Allison Pataki is an American novelist who has written several books including "Revolutionary" and "The Traitor's Wife."
In literature and popular culture, Allison has also been used as a character name. One notable example is Allison Reynolds, played by Ally Sheedy in the 1985 film "The Breakfast Club.
Allison is a name that has seen varied popularity over the years in the United States. According to the statistics provided, there were 5 babies named Allison born in 1983, followed by an increase to 8 babies named Allison in 1984. The trend continued with 6 babies named Allison in 1985 and then climbed to 9 babies named Allison in 1986.
However, the popularity of the name seemed to peak around this time as there was a slight decrease to 8 babies named Allison in 1987. Interestingly, there was another significant increase to 12 babies named Allison born in 1988. But then, between 1989 and 1992, the popularity of the name Allison decreased again with only 5 babies named Allison each year.
Overall, from 1983 to 1992, there were a total of 63 babies named Allison born in the United States. This shows that while Allison was popular at certain points during this time period, its popularity fluctuated greatly over these years.