ALISON
AL-ih-sun
A Scottish name historically linked to the French diminutive of Alexis, with a long life as a familiar medieval female name.
Meaning
The excerpts point to Alison as a Scottish female name of French origin, related to Alizon and treated as a diminutive form connected with Alexis. In the older etymological tradition cited here, Alexis is glossed from Greek as meaning ‘to assist, succour, defend another,’ and one source also notes Alison as a synonym for Alice. Another older line of etymology in the excerpt links Alison to ‘famous war,’ but the stronger and more consistent explanation in the provided material is the Alexis/Alice pathway.
Origin
FrenchScottishGreekfeminine
Fun fact
One excerpt says Alison was especially common in Scotland, likely helped along by romantic and literary fashion.