The name "Alaister" is a variant spelling of the more commonly known name "Alister", which is derived from the Greek name "Alexandros". The spelling of "Alaister" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) phonetic transcription as follows: /æ/ represents the "a" sound in "cat", /l/ represents the "l" sound in "love", /eɪ/ represents the "ai" sound in "aim", /s/ represents the "s" sound in "sip", and /t/ represents the "t" sound in "top".
The etymology of the name Alaister is derived from the Gaelic language, specifically Scottish Gaelic. It is a variant of the name Alasdair or Alistair. In Gaelic, Alasdair originates from two elements: al, meaning noble, and asdair, meaning man or person. Therefore, Alaister carries a similar meaning and can be interpreted as noble man or noble person.