Allister, of Scottish origin, is a unisex given name derived from the Scottish surname "Allistair", which is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic "Alasdair". This name was originally borne by those descended from the family of Alexander MacDonald, who settled in Scotland during the 12th century. The name Allister means 'defender of mankind', with 'Alastair' being a variant spelling and pronunciation, popularised by Robert Louis Stevenson's character in his 1886 novel "Kidnapped".
"In 2014, there were six babies named Allister."