Alison - can I make it cool again?

[emmyloo2]

I am contemplating adding Alison to my name list. Main reason is it is the name of a very close aunt who died of breast cancer some years ago. My mother was one of 5 girls who all had quite traditional names: Grace, Catherine, Marion, Joanne and Alison. I can't use Grace (my sister wants to use it and I promised her years ago she could have it). Marion is my Mum's name. Catherine I like but Catherine is my b-in-law's girlfriend's name and so I don't want to use it.

My aunty who was very close to my Mum was always known as Ally.

I never thought I would go for such an "untrendy" name. It's a bit like Jennifer, or Sarah or Danielle or something. Names of my generation but not names you hear now.

Can I bring it back do you reckon? Is it so unpopular that it's almost cool?

p.s. - the nickname would be Ally after my aunty.

It's a lovely name!

Yes, use it.

Love it. Totally classic.

Yay!!! Glad you like it. To be honest - it's not my favourite name but it would mean so much to name it after my aunty who was my mum's closet sister.

I love Ally as well.

I also like the fact it would be different from the Isabelles, Lilys, Charlottes etc which are also lovely names but so popular at the moment. Maybe Alison in 20 years will be cool again. I will be ahead of my time.

It's great!

lots of music/song references too, I believe...

When has Alison ever not been cool?

The world needs more Alisons - go for it!!

I seriously considered Alison for my DD2. The MN consensus was that I was not allowed to spell it "Allison" or "Alyson" but other than that I would say about 95% of people liked it.

I like it.

Definitely would spell in Alison.

Cuppatea - it's always been popular and never seen as "uncool" - I guess I just mean it's not a trendy name, in the same vein as Isabelle, Charlotte, Lily, Poppy, Daisy etc that are popular now. Which when I was growing up would have been fuddy duddy names and are now cool.

All the Alison's I know are very nice, but middle aged so I wouldn't think of it as a cute or cool baby name but in case helps here is some background and variations on the name, it's from a US site (as you might guess) but I rather like Allese myself:
ALISON
Gender: F
Origin: Norman French, diminutive of ALICE

Popularity in 2009: #227

Long popular in Scotland and widely used here since the fifties, this more feminine medieval derivative of Alice has now far surpassed the original in popularity.

Nicknames & Variations:
Alisoun, Alicen, Allysoun, Allese, Alicyn, Allecenne, Alisin, Alisen, Alleyson, Allisson, Alisanne, Allicen, Alyson, Alisonn, Alysun, Allie, Alisun, Allysann, Allix, Allisanne, Allisen, Allysanne, Allisan, Ali, Alysanne, Alysann, Alles, Ally, Allsun, Alisson, Alysoun, Alysen, Allisann, Allisoun, Alysan, Allisyn, Allyson, Allicenne, Alision, Alisenne, Allison, Alisann, Allice, Alisan

no - its simply uncool

try Lisa - another uncool name of the 70's

Nothing wrong with Alison - although I do like Alice.

I think it's lovely.

I have an ALice and prefer it to Alison would still work with ally as a nick name though!

I'm an Alison, known mostly as Ally, always quite liked it and I know a five year old Alison. I think it is a timeless name (in Scotland you find Alisons ranging from babies to old ladies.

I absolutely love the name Alison and, with Alice so popular nowadays, it would make a nice change.

Sussiq - Alice is lovely as well.

I think its a lovely & classic name, plus as you say it has so many good associations for you. Ally is a great nickname, too.

I don't like it or other names with 'son' in, seems too middle aged. Also 'I hate 'Ali' and even worse 'Al'.

Go for it, especially as it means so much, that will make you love it more.

Perefctly nice, but a bit wet. Alice is a simpler, more 'classic' version, I think.

Good as a middle name, though. As are any of the family names you mentioned. All good names.

Lovely Elvis Costello song by the same name, a very nice choice IMO

Rather hurt at being thought of as middle aged but i suppose I am compared to some on here.

Alison is lovely and for me a classic name, although it was also a v popular one of the 70s/early 80s. To make a comparison, Grace for me is another timeless name but has also in the last 10 years been a very popular one, which for some people is off-putting. Alice is likewise popular but I personally find Alice a bit 'little-girly' (perhaps it's the Wonderland association). I think Alison would work well in childhood and adulthood and be a nice alternative to the currently much-used Grace and Alice.

I love Alison, much prefer it to Alice. Also love the Lemonheads song "Alison's Starting To Happen." I always encourage people to choose Alison; if I had a DD it would be on my list.

I'm an Alison (Al/Ali).
I've never liked my name, although I do like Al/Ali.

I have to say that I'm neither middle-aged nor wet though, pffft.