Hi Swistle,
I discovered your blog while researching names and would love your help! I am due in August with our second child, a boy. We have a two year old daughter named Vivian Iris. Our last name is like Peterson but with the name David at the beginning.
Surprisingly, given our somewhat different style preferences, my husband and I are basically in agreement on the name but not the spelling. We’re leaning towards naming this baby Alistair/Alastair. We initially had Alexander and Patrick on our boy list but when we found out this baby is actually a boy, I just thought those names were so boring for real life (my apologies to anyone who used those names, they are lovely which is why they are on our list!). But we both like the Scotish version of Alexander: Alistair/Alastair. Patrick, a family name on my side, will likely be the middle name.
Upon further research, it turns out that this name is actually far more obscure than I realized. My husband and I are both very midwestern but currently live in the mid-Atlantic. We previously had pretty international careers and have both known people with this name so we were surprised to find it so low on the list in the US.
Here is where we are stuck. My husband prefers the “more authentic” spelling of Alastair. He would really like to do the “most authentic” spelling of Alasdair, but I vetoed that. I, however, think we should give the kid the more common spelling of the name, especially considering that it’s pretty rare. Alistair is currently ranked 967 in the US. The other spellings are not in the top 1000 at all. Notably, Alistair is also the most common spelling in Scotland, England, and Wales (this did not convince my husband).
We’re at a standstill and have dug in our heels over one letter. We both realize how ridiculous this is, but, nonetheless, here we are. What spelling do you think we should go with?
As an aside, I do have a bit of hesitation that this name is weirder or more pretentious than I think it is. Does it seem too weird for midwesterners to use this name? My husband’s ancestors were Scotish but his family has been in the US for hundreds of years. Will it seem like we’re trying too hard or something? Admittedly, we can be a little pretentious (at least we’re aware, right???) so maybe we should just own it, but I don’t know.
Thank you for your help!
I am much more familiar with the Alistair spelling, and that would be my own choice. I agree with your reasoning: especially if I were going with a less common name, I’d prefer to use the most common spelling.
The “more/most authentic” argument feels a little dicey to me. Names change over time and as they cross into different languages/alphabets/cultures. If he prefers an OLDER spelling, or a spelling from a particular language/alphabet/culture, that’s fine: some people would rather use Iohannas or Eoin or Jan or Jean or Gianni instead of the more-familiar-in-the-U.S. John. But saying that one version is more “authentic” than another seems…well, dicey.
You asked if the name is too weird or pretentious to use, and I’d say no, but then again I am a person who spends a lot of time looking at and thinking about names, and so there are a lot of names I have gotten accustomed to that might be more startling to the general public. I don’t see any reason Alistair can’t join Theodore and Arthur and Oliver and so forth—but perhaps it would strike others as being more in the range of Percival and Archibald. (I would also like to see Percival become more common. PERCY!!)
It can feel ridiculous, but this spelling disagreement may indeed mean you won’t be able to use the name. Paul and I lost the name Elliot because we couldn’t agree on the spelling, and it felt/feels so STUPID when we both LOVED the name—but, I didn’t love it the way he wanted to spell it, and he didn’t love it the way I wanted to spell it, and so in the end it was just as if we were talking about two entirely different names. You have lots of time left, so what I suggest is putting it on the list as “Alistair/Alastair” for now, and working on coming up with more options in case the spelling can’t be resolved.
Do you like Albert or Alfred? I feel as if those names have a similar English sound, while being a little more accessible. I went to kindergarten with an Alfie; I wonder if that was short for Alfred; other potential nicknames include Freddie and Al. And Bertie is a cute nickname for Albert.
I’ve seen Gilbert getting some attention recently.
Or perhaps Louis? Frederick? Edmund? George? Simon? Miles? (Maybe too much like Miles Davis with the surname.)
Ellis? Hugh? Graham? Rupert? Roland? Barnaby? Vincent?
Or maybe one of the ones I mentioned earlier as palling around with an Alistair: Theodore, Arthur, Oliver.
Or August, for his possible birth month.
Or Francis, with the darling nickname Frankie.
I think Alistair is a lovely name! I prefer this spelling. When I saw it spelled Alastair, my mind read Alabaster, for what that’s worth! Haha!
Congratulations on your new addition!
The only person with this name I’ve ever known in real life actually spells it Alasdair, so I’m not buying the argument that it needs to be spelled in the “most familiar” way. The name is so uncommon in any spelling that people are going to ask how to spell it all the time anyway, and I think Alastair is a great compromise between Alasdair and Alistair. What a great name!! I’d love to see more of it.
Yes, the person I know spells it this way and he’s from Scotland.
My husband and I had similar discussions over whether to spell our daughter’s name the Irish Méabh or Anglicized Maeve. I argued for the easier to spell option. While I eventually “won”, there was a period where we almost gave it up entirely because someone was going to be disappointed. I actually talked to a few Méabh/Maeves to get their input—they said that since it was a relatively uncommon name anyways, my daughter would likely have to spell it most times anyways. I think my daughter might still have it easier since Maeve is rocketing up the charts in the US now, but I think it was a very valid point. So that would be my insight to pass on. Your son will likely be one of the first Alastair/Alistairs anyone meets, so I’d scratch ease of spelling off the table. I’d vote Alastair just to avoid the inclination to shorten to Ali.
Yes, I was going to say something similar – because it’s a relatively uncommon name I don’t think most people will have any expectation for how it is spelled. I agree with you that the Alastair spelling seems like a good compromise!
I hope you can figure it out – absolutely love that name! Met a Kiwi by that name years ago at work and have liked it ever since. Unfortunately I didn’t find out how he spelled it. My preference is Alistair though if reader opinions sway you and your partner…
I quite like Alistair amd would use this spelling. I did want to say that I live in the midwest and know a young Alistair (this spelling).
My true reaction is I LOVE all three and any will work! My second idea is that for people who do not know an Alistair at all, might they try to call him Ali for short? Would that be lovely or not your preferred nickname. It seems like Alastair makes folks pause just enough to get the proper pronunciation and let’s you lean into other nicknames like Las/Laz.
I think it’s a great name and so uncommon that it doesn’t really matter how you spell it–people are going to get it wrong because it’s unfamiliar. My favorite is Alistair or Alasdair…but I would pronounce them slightly differently
I’ve spent quite a bit of time living in the UK so this name feels more familiar to me, too. I think the spelling I’m most familiar with is Alastair. To me, whether you like the nickname Ali might help make the decision on spelling (not that he’ll necessarily have a nickname – but the spelling may set you down a path). I also agree with the commenter who suggests that Alastair is the compromise spelling between the parents’ preferences.
I really get your concern about being “too pretentious” (I had names on our baby lists which I liked a lot – but for other people’s babies…I didn’t think WE could pull them off). For what it is worth, I don’t think Alastair is TOO MUCH and as with so many things related to baby names, the surprise/questions/initial reactions wear off and soon the baby is just Alastair and you can’t imagine him named anything else and everyone else just accepts it and sees the PERSON.
Go for it! (any spelling!)
I usually lean towards what is the most common spelling. But I agree it’s uncommon enough in the states to go with any of the three spellings. I only know one little Alistair/Alastair and I have only heard his mom say it not spell it. And really, after the initial written announcement, that’s the way you’ll introduce him most times (aloud.) So how do you say it? I do think the i vs a adjusts the pronunciation a bit. Just as if you’d chosen Vivienne it would end a bit differently to my ear. And does Vivian go by a nickname? I’d definitely account for your preferred nickname. I do love Vivian and Alastair together as a set! Elegant! (FWIW I vetoed a few names for being too pretentious or too hipster and now, 5 years after being done naming, I wish I hadn’t had those fears.)
I love the name and as far as spelling, I was on “Team Alistair” until I read the comments about considering which nickname direction you preferred. As quick as that, I switched to “Team Spell It By Thinking About Nicknames.” I’m quite interested to hear what you decide and wish we didn’t have to wait until August!
Congrats on number two! We share the same last name with this couple and also have two boys- Alfred (Alf) and Joseph (Joey). I think these are really along the same line as Alistair/Alastair. I love the name, all its possible spellings and all the wonderful nicknames. It’s a hard choice when deciding, but I don’t think you could go wrong. My name is frequently misspelt at the coffee shop, but all health professionals etc always check. I never mind when it’s misspelt.
I initially preferred Alistair probably for the more common spelling, but quickly changed my tune to Alastair for the point about Ali as a nickname. I also like the way it looks written with the a better. Vote Alastair Patrick!
Alistair appears to be the more common spelling of the two in Scotland as well: you can see the statistics at https://scotland.shinyapps.io/nrs-baby-names/.
I agree that the most typical spelling is the way to go. The “Alistair” spelling is pretty traditional itself, and it will make your child’s life easier.
Maybe you could use the simple “Al” as a nickname. This would let your son toggle between common and uncommon as preferred.
I agree with others that in the US many people will be familiar with Alastair/Alistair but won’t have seen it often and thus won’t have an expectation of how it should be spelled. Like, I am an Ashley and when someone asks how it’s spelled I can say “the usual way” and expect that most people will then land on my spelling. But if I asked how Alastair was spelled and the person replied “the usual way” I would have no idea what that meant. I think how it’s spelled makes absolutely no difference in terms of ease-of-name. He will likely need to spell his name for people no matter what. So you should just pick the one that you like better. In my case, if I really loved the name and my husband wasn’t budging I’d probably give in and go with Alastair rather than giving up my favorite name over one letter. I think I prefer the Alastair spelling anyway.
I don’t think Alastair is too pretentious at all, but my son is Sebastian which I suppose could also be considered a “pretentious” name. But there are so many Sebastians, Nathaniels, Theodores, etc. running around that I think an Alastair would fit in just fine. I say go for it!
I find that Alistair matches Vivian nicer, if sibling symmetry is important to you. How did the two of you choose between Vivian and Vivien? Did one of you compromise more on her name overall?
Fwiw I also like Alistair better, and have known a British Alistair living in America for 20+ years, and the name has always seemed familiar enough.
I love the name Alistair specifically with the i, you can call him Ali or Ally or Aly or Ali-bear (my vote) to help with the spelling if you get that far! If I had a baby boy with my bf lo these many years ago he would have been Alistair Joseph or Joseph Alistair (MIL without the law’s maiden name was McAllister, or some variation there of).
I’m only a little Scottish but my bf is 100% and I’m wondering if the spelling thing is maybe a No True Scotsman / I’m more Scottish than you because LoOk At My AuThEnTiC sPeLliNg type of argument. I can picture us both dying on this same hill, is what I’m saying.
I think Alistair is great and you should go for it. How you spell it doesn’t seem like a huge issue convenience-wise to me, so I’d be tempted to let your husband have Alasdair if your reservations are about what other people will think rather than what you like best. But what I’m really here to say is that if you get cold feet and can’t convince yourself that Alistair fits with your mid-westerness, MC-Alister would get you smack in the middle of the surname name trend. (But then, once you think about how easily everyone accepts babies named Winston and Preston and Hudson these days…why not just go with Alistair?)
Alasdair also gives you “Dare” as a nickname, which might not be what you would pick, but might be the kind of thing a ten year old boy trying to fit in with Chase, Max, and Hunter would like, and then grow out of.
I live in the midwest and have a close friend with a son named Alasdair. I was surprised by his name at first but it fits him well and doesn’t feel out of place. In my head I pronounce Alasdair with a softer ending than with Alastair, where I enunciate the ‘t’ more storingly than the ‘d’. I don’t think there is a wrong way to spell it but I think it could affect how people pronounce it. However it is spelled, it is a lovely name and pairs well with Vivian.
I’m chiming in a little late. I read all of this a little fearfully, because people aren’t honest to your face about a baby name.
I have a 4-year old with the name and I absolutely love it and it always makes me happy. We spell it Alastair. I preferred the version with the “d” but it was vetoed.
He gets called Ali ( or Ally. Still haven’t settled on a spelling) by sister sometimes. Yes, it’s frequently spelled and pronounced incorrectly but I don’t care too much and I think that happens with most every name.
Tldr. If you love it, use it. Don’t look back. It’s a great, satisfying name that I feel works for all ages.
Speaking as someone who has never met an Alistair/Alastair, I
A) love the name and think it’s totally useable
B) would pronounce Alistair with the same rhythm as barrister, but would pronounce Alasdair more like alice-DARE
C) would be tempted by the Alastair spelling, which looks pleasing to me, but could be persuaded otherwise
D) would not be too worried about how other people spell it– I have a name with common spelling options like Sara/Sarah, and sometimes people write down the wrong one, and it has never bothered me. When it matters, I spell it. An Alistair is more likely to have to spell his name anyway, and then if people still stick the wrong vowel in the middle so what? But if that would drive you crazy then maybe this is not the name for you?
I have a slight preference for Alistair, but think this is just the kind of issue that could be solved by flipping a coin.
Unfortunately, not that it matter at all, I do find the name to be pretentious, especially in the Midwest. It reminds me of Prescott or something similar. I could be wrong but can’t imagine the little guy would blend in—but maybe that’s what your going for? I also think it differns in style from Vivian quite a bit.
I meant to say would NOT* blend in.
Ok, it’s late and I keep messing up my comment! The original was correct. Carry on.
Maybe you would like McAllister instead?
I live in the Midwest and I love the name all spellings. Alistair would fit right in along with my kids classmates who have very diverse names, including an Alaric and a Montgomery and a Prince, which some might think pretentious on paper but are not once the name is attached to a kid, unless the kid comes to school with a monocle and a pocket square. The commenter who suggested Dare as a nickname had a great suggestion, swaying me towards Alasdair just a bit.
You might want to try the name at Starbucks, ordering takeout or anywhere you have to give a name. See how strangers spell it. If they all spell it with the “i” you will know that the “a” will be an extra challenge. If no one knows have to spell it, they a coin toss can settle it. For fun try it with the “d” too.
I’m in Australia and have an Alistair!
We too also considered Alexander, but knew it would eventually and naturally become Alex, and we are not nicknamers. And I much prefer the individuality of Alistair and have no regrets.
I’ll just write a bit for you on our (and our son’s) experience with the name:
Our Alistair is always just Alistair. We’ve had the very occasional person try Al, but even without correction it just didn’t stick. Alistair has one friend who calls him Ally, but that is more because he is an Oliver called Olly (sometimes we call them Aliver and Olistair :) ). On that, I think the name Alistair (whichever spelling) has many similarities with the name Oliver which has become very popular and not as pretentiousns it may have once seemed.
As with you, once we settled on the name we had to settle on the spelling. My husband was also very tempted by the authentic Alasdair, but I felt it was a bit clunky. In the end we choose the Alistair spelling because it seemed the best known here in Australia, and therefore potentially the least hassle for our son. Interestingly, our Alistair is now 10, and has an Alister in his class!
It is a name that people have their own ideas on the “right” spelling, or those who haven’t heard it used have varied and interesting attempts. Generally people will ask which spelling you use and it doesn’t take the ones that matter long to get it right.
We also get questions on pronunciation – we say Al-uh-stuh, but are equally content with Al-uh-stare. Alistair is also happy with however it comes.
It is a name I am very happy to have used and it suits our guy well. I hope you can come to an agreement, because it is a great name that deserves more use. All the best!
Love the name. I only know one. I like the d spelling but you don’t so forget I mentioned it ;)
I wrote the name down and naturally wrote it with an I but I could be convinced to use an A quite easily. I have a name that has several ‘correct’ spellings depending on national usage and it is a non-issue for me. When I give my name to someone who has to write it down I just spell it straight away without them asking. I do that with my surname as well.
As for pretentious… I have a lovely friend who is quite pretentious and owns it. Her children have the most extraordinary names of the aristocratic variety (think Aloysius Ignatius Montgomery Featherstonehaugh or something outlandish and you’ll be close). She makes no apologies and tbh it suits her and her family (and her children they are chips off the block) much better than a Jackson would. I say lean in. (I’m trying to convince you to rethink the D spelling).
Is it relevant how the name is pronounced? I read it either as Al-ist-uh or -Al-uh-stuh depending on the spelling.
I forgot to ask a question. You say one spelling is the dominant use because it sits at 967 and the others aren’t top 1000. How many babies is that? If it’s a difference of day 60 births over the whole country I don’t think that is statistically significant.
Are the numbers big enough to make a difference to individual perception when someone encounters you or are you just looking for a tie-breaking detail? If it’s the latter I’d prioritise your own preferences over a minor difference.
Just wanted to say that another factor, other than which was the most known spelling, in choosing the spelling for our Alistair was that I just didn’t like my son’s name starting with the word Alas. This may not bother many people, nor is it something that other people are likely to bring up, but it may be something you’d like to consider.