Origin, Meaning, And History Of Alastair
Alastair is a popular masculine name with its origin in Scotland. ‘ This Scottish Gaelic name is believed to have been derived from Alasdair, meaning ‘defender of people.’
The gender-neutral name could also have Greek roots. It is composed of Greek words, Alexein and Aner, meaning ‘to defend’ and ‘man,’ respectively. Alastair is an anglicized variant of its Scottish-Gaelic predecessor Alasdair. Alasdair, in turn, comes from a Gaelic variant of Alexander, a male-given name. Alexander is spelled Alexandre in Norman French and it was integrated into the English language in the same way as Alexander.
Scholars believe that the Normans brought the word Alastair into England in the 11th century. The name became widely popular among the Scottish aristocracy and started being used as a royal name. Alexander III of Scotland was also known as Alasdair in Gaelic. He is known for concluding the Treaty of Perth in 1266, which gave Scotland sovereignty over Mann and the Western Isles.
In the modern world, Alastair MacLean’s novel, The Guns of Navarone, can also be attributed to the name’s popularity. This novel came into the list of The Top 100 Crime Novels Of All Time by the British Crime Writers’ Association in 1990.
The name Alastair has numerous variations across cultures and languages with the major ones being Allister and Alaster. It is also sometimes spelled Alistair.
In fiction, the name’s variants have been used frequently. Alistair Cheng is a character in the romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. Alastair is also the family name of the characters in Georgette Heyer’s series of romance novels. Alistair, the English solitary, nomadic vampire in the Twilight saga, is also a popular character in the movie.
How To Pronounce Alastair?
Famous People With The Name Alastair
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- Alastair Moock美国音乐表演者,知道n for his album Walking Sounds
- Alastair George Bell SimScottish actor, known for his work on the adaptation of Charles Dicken’s novella, ‘A Christmas Carol’
- Alastair James StewartEnglish journalist and recipient of the Royal Television Society’s News Presenter of the Year award in 2004 and 2005
- Alastair Nathan CookEnglish cricketer and the fifth-highest Test run scorer of all time
- Alastair Ian “Al” StewartScottish singer-songwriter, known for his hit single Year of the Cat in 1976
Alastair On The Popularity Chart
The name Alastair has not been a popular name in the US. However, its popularity saw a positive trend in the latter half of the 2000s.
Popularity Over Time
The name’s popularity witnessed high points in 2017 and 2019. Check out the graph for detailed insights.
Source:Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Alastair’s ranking took a hit in 1991 and is yet to stage a comeback. The graph below outlines its ranking trends better.
Source:Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Alastair
Alastair has a sound, unlike many other names. Go through some similar-sounding names below.
Popular Sibling Names For Alastair
Other Popular Names Beginning With A
Names With Same Meaning As Alastair
Want to explore more options? Maybe these names that mean the same as Alastair will appeal to you.
Infographic: Know The Name’s Personality As Per Numerology
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How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
In Nautical Flags
alastair
In Sign Language
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In Braille Alphabet
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In Morse Code
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Name Numerology For Alastair
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Alastair?
The name Alastair means defender, protector of mankind, and a form of alexander.
2. How to pronounce the name Alastair?
Alastair is pronounced as ah-las-tair.
