# Alison

/ˈæɫɪsən/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/alison
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. female name

noun · CEFR A1

a common first name for a woman.

For teachers: a female given name, originally a diminutive of Alice, derived from Germanic roots.

- My friend Alison is coming over for dinner tonight.
- The author Alison Weir is well-known for her detailed historical biographies of British royalty.

### 2. family name

noun · CEFR B2

a person's last name or family name.

For teachers: a surname derived from the given name.

- The professor's name is James Alison.
- The research paper was co-authored by Dr. Alison and several of his colleagues from the department of linguistics.

## Examples

- Alison is my best friend from school.
- The manager introduced Alison as the new head of the marketing department during the morning meeting.
- While the name Alison has fluctuated in popularity over the decades, it remains a classic choice that bridges the gap between traditional and modern naming conventions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.