diff --git a/contrib/completions/_zoxide b/contrib/completions/_zoxide
index 97e654f..861a95c 100644
--- a/contrib/completions/_zoxide
+++ b/contrib/completions/_zoxide
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ _zoxide() {
 _arguments "${_arguments_options[@]}" : \
 '-s+[The rank to increment the entry if it exists or initialize it with if it doesn'\''t]:SCORE:_default' \
 '--score=[The rank to increment the entry if it exists or initialize it with if it doesn'\''t]:SCORE:_default' \
+'-a+[The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or initialize with it]:ALIAS:_default' \
+'--alias=[The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or initialize with it]:ALIAS:_default' \
 '-h[Print help]' \
 '--help[Print help]' \
 '-V[Print version]' \
diff --git a/contrib/completions/_zoxide.ps1 b/contrib/completions/_zoxide.ps1
index bb47d3a..7cb4c2e 100644
--- a/contrib/completions/_zoxide.ps1
+++ b/contrib/completions/_zoxide.ps1
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ Register-ArgumentCompleter -Native -CommandName 'zoxide' -ScriptBlock {
         'zoxide;add' {
             [CompletionResult]::new('-s', '-s', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'The rank to increment the entry if it exists or initialize it with if it doesn''t')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--score', '--score', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'The rank to increment the entry if it exists or initialize it with if it doesn''t')
+            [CompletionResult]::new('-a', '-a', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or initialize with it')
+            [CompletionResult]::new('--alias', '--alias', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or initialize with it')
             [CompletionResult]::new('-h', '-h', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Print help')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--help', '--help', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Print help')
             [CompletionResult]::new('-V', '-V ', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Print version')
diff --git a/contrib/completions/zoxide.bash b/contrib/completions/zoxide.bash
index 82b174e..4aa8de8 100644
--- a/contrib/completions/zoxide.bash
+++ b/contrib/completions/zoxide.bash
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ _zoxide() {
             return 0
             ;;
         zoxide__add)
-            opts="-s -h -V --score --help --version <PATHS>..."
+            opts="-s -a -h -V --score --alias --help --version <PATHS>..."
             if [[ ${cur} == -* || ${COMP_CWORD} -eq 2 ]] ; then
                 COMPREPLY=( $(compgen -W "${opts}" -- "${cur}") )
                 return 0
@@ -81,6 +81,14 @@ _zoxide() {
                     COMPREPLY=($(compgen -f "${cur}"))
                     return 0
                     ;;
+                --alias)
+                    COMPREPLY=($(compgen -f "${cur}"))
+                    return 0
+                    ;;
+                -a)
+                    COMPREPLY=($(compgen -f "${cur}"))
+                    return 0
+                    ;;
                 *)
                     COMPREPLY=()
                     ;;
diff --git a/contrib/completions/zoxide.elv b/contrib/completions/zoxide.elv
index 93c57af..53fec8d 100644
--- a/contrib/completions/zoxide.elv
+++ b/contrib/completions/zoxide.elv
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ set edit:completion:arg-completer[zoxide] = {|@words|
         &'zoxide;add'= {
             cand -s 'The rank to increment the entry if it exists or initialize it with if it doesn''t'
             cand --score 'The rank to increment the entry if it exists or initialize it with if it doesn''t'
+            cand -a 'The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or initialize with it'
+            cand --alias 'The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or initialize with it'
             cand -h 'Print help'
             cand --help 'Print help'
             cand -V 'Print version'
diff --git a/contrib/completions/zoxide.fish b/contrib/completions/zoxide.fish
index 3a0bfe7..40cdb9c 100644
--- a/contrib/completions/zoxide.fish
+++ b/contrib/completions/zoxide.fish
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ complete -c zoxide -n "__fish_zoxide_needs_command" -f -a "init" -d 'Generate sh
 complete -c zoxide -n "__fish_zoxide_needs_command" -f -a "query" -d 'Search for a directory in the database'
 complete -c zoxide -n "__fish_zoxide_needs_command" -f -a "remove" -d 'Remove a directory from the database'
 complete -c zoxide -n "__fish_zoxide_using_subcommand add" -s s -l score -d 'The rank to increment the entry if it exists or initialize it with if it doesn\'t' -r
+complete -c zoxide -n "__fish_zoxide_using_subcommand add" -s a -l alias -d 'The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or initialize with it' -r
 complete -c zoxide -n "__fish_zoxide_using_subcommand add" -s h -l help -d 'Print help'
 complete -c zoxide -n "__fish_zoxide_using_subcommand add" -s V -l version -d 'Print version'
 complete -c zoxide -n "__fish_zoxide_using_subcommand edit; and not __fish_seen_subcommand_from decrement delete increment reload" -s h -l help -d 'Print help'
diff --git a/contrib/completions/zoxide.nu b/contrib/completions/zoxide.nu
index 642908e..36c5aac 100644
--- a/contrib/completions/zoxide.nu
+++ b/contrib/completions/zoxide.nu
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ module completions {
   export extern "zoxide add" [
     ...paths: path
     --score(-s): string       # The rank to increment the entry if it exists or initialize it with if it doesn't
+    --alias(-a): string       # The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or initialize with it
     --help(-h)                # Print help
     --version(-V)             # Print version
   ]
diff --git a/contrib/completions/zoxide.ts b/contrib/completions/zoxide.ts
index 1e0d404..3c5c861 100644
--- a/contrib/completions/zoxide.ts
+++ b/contrib/completions/zoxide.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,15 @@ const completion: Fig.Spec = {
             isOptional: true,
           },
         },
+        {
+          name: ["-a", "--alias"],
+          description: "The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or initialize with it",
+          isRepeatable: true,
+          args: {
+            name: "alias",
+            isOptional: true,
+          },
+        },
         {
           name: ["-h", "--help"],
           description: "Print help",
diff --git a/src/cmd/add.rs b/src/cmd/add.rs
index 302ae0a..dcc0b33 100644
--- a/src/cmd/add.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/add.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ impl Run for Add {
         let exclude_dirs = config::exclude_dirs()?;
         let max_age = config::maxage()?;
         let now = util::current_time()?;
+        let mut first_entry = true;
 
         let mut db = Database::open()?;
 
@@ -35,7 +36,14 @@ impl Run for Add {
             }
 
             let by = self.score.unwrap_or(1.0);
-            db.add_update(path, by, now);
+
+            // Adds the alias only to the first entry to avoid confusion
+            if first_entry {
+                db.add_update(path, by, now, self.alias.clone());
+                first_entry = false;
+            } else {
+                db.add_update(path, by, now, None);
+            }
         }
 
         if db.dirty() {
diff --git a/src/cmd/cmd.rs b/src/cmd/cmd.rs
index 7359786..3d82a64 100644
--- a/src/cmd/cmd.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/cmd.rs
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ pub struct Add {
     /// doesn't
     #[clap(short, long)]
     pub score: Option<f64>,
+
+    /// The alias for the entry to initialize without and then set afterwards or
+    /// initialize with it
+    #[clap(short, long)]
+    pub alias: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// Edit the database
diff --git a/src/cmd/edit.rs b/src/cmd/edit.rs
index 0f37165..f1a231e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/edit.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/edit.rs
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ impl Run for Edit {
         match &self.cmd {
             Some(cmd) => {
                 match cmd {
-                    EditCommand::Decrement { path } => db.add(path, -1.0, now),
+                    EditCommand::Decrement { path } => db.add(path, -1.0, now, None),
                     EditCommand::Delete { path } => {
                         db.remove(path);
                     }
-                    EditCommand::Increment { path } => db.add(path, 1.0, now),
+                    EditCommand::Increment { path } => db.add(path, 1.0, now, None),
                     EditCommand::Reload => {}
                 }
                 db.save()?;
diff --git a/src/cmd/import.rs b/src/cmd/import.rs
index f13381c..c7dd95b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/import.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/import.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ fn import_autojump(db: &mut Database, buffer: &str) -> Result<()> {
         // take a while to get normalized.
         rank = sigmoid(rank);
 
-        db.add_unchecked(path, rank, 0);
+        db.add_unchecked(path, rank, 0, None);
     }
 
     if db.dirty() {
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ fn import_z(db: &mut Database, buffer: &str) -> Result<()> {
 
         let path = split.next().with_context(|| format!("invalid entry: {line}"))?;
 
-        db.add_unchecked(path, rank, last_accessed);
+        db.add_unchecked(path, rank, last_accessed, None);
     }
 
     if db.dirty() {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ mod tests {
             ("/xyzzy/thud", 8.0, 800),
             ("/foo/bar", 9.0, 900),
         ] {
-            db.add_unchecked(path, rank, last_accessed);
+            db.add_unchecked(path, rank, last_accessed, None);
         }
 
         let buffer = "\
@@ -107,12 +107,22 @@ mod tests {
         println!("got: {:?}", &db.dirs());
 
         let exp = [
-            Dir { path: "/baz".into(), rank: sigmoid(7.0), last_accessed: 0 },
-            Dir { path: "/corge/grault/garply".into(), rank: 6.0, last_accessed: 600 },
-            Dir { path: "/foo/bar".into(), rank: 9.0 + sigmoid(2.0), last_accessed: 900 },
-            Dir { path: "/quux/quuz".into(), rank: 1.0 + sigmoid(5.0), last_accessed: 100 },
-            Dir { path: "/waldo/fred/plugh".into(), rank: 3.0, last_accessed: 300 },
-            Dir { path: "/xyzzy/thud".into(), rank: 8.0, last_accessed: 800 },
+            Dir { path: "/baz".into(), rank: sigmoid(7.0), last_accessed: 0, alias: None },
+            Dir { path: "/corge/grault/garply".into(), rank: 6.0, last_accessed: 600, alias: None },
+            Dir {
+                path: "/foo/bar".into(),
+                rank: 9.0 + sigmoid(2.0),
+                last_accessed: 900,
+                alias: None,
+            },
+            Dir {
+                path: "/quux/quuz".into(),
+                rank: 1.0 + sigmoid(5.0),
+                last_accessed: 100,
+                alias: None,
+            },
+            Dir { path: "/waldo/fred/plugh".into(), rank: 3.0, last_accessed: 300, alias: None },
+            Dir { path: "/xyzzy/thud".into(), rank: 8.0, last_accessed: 800, alias: None },
         ];
         println!("exp: {exp:?}");
 
@@ -134,7 +144,7 @@ mod tests {
             ("/xyzzy/thud", 8.0, 800),
             ("/foo/bar", 9.0, 900),
         ] {
-            db.add_unchecked(path, rank, last_accessed);
+            db.add_unchecked(path, rank, last_accessed, None);
         }
 
         let buffer = "\
@@ -148,12 +158,12 @@ mod tests {
         println!("got: {:?}", &db.dirs());
 
         let exp = [
-            Dir { path: "/baz".into(), rank: 7.0, last_accessed: 700 },
-            Dir { path: "/corge/grault/garply".into(), rank: 6.0, last_accessed: 600 },
-            Dir { path: "/foo/bar".into(), rank: 11.0, last_accessed: 900 },
-            Dir { path: "/quux/quuz".into(), rank: 10.0, last_accessed: 500 },
-            Dir { path: "/waldo/fred/plugh".into(), rank: 3.0, last_accessed: 300 },
-            Dir { path: "/xyzzy/thud".into(), rank: 8.0, last_accessed: 800 },
+            Dir { path: "/baz".into(), rank: 7.0, last_accessed: 700, alias: None },
+            Dir { path: "/corge/grault/garply".into(), rank: 6.0, last_accessed: 600, alias: None },
+            Dir { path: "/foo/bar".into(), rank: 11.0, last_accessed: 900, alias: None },
+            Dir { path: "/quux/quuz".into(), rank: 10.0, last_accessed: 500, alias: None },
+            Dir { path: "/waldo/fred/plugh".into(), rank: 3.0, last_accessed: 300, alias: None },
+            Dir { path: "/xyzzy/thud".into(), rank: 8.0, last_accessed: 800, alias: None },
         ];
         println!("exp: {exp:?}");
 
diff --git a/src/db/dir.rs b/src/db/dir.rs
index 5d6d62c..4c03761 100644
--- a/src/db/dir.rs
+++ b/src/db/dir.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ pub struct Dir<'a> {
     pub path: Cow<'a, str>,
     pub rank: Rank,
     pub last_accessed: Epoch,
+    pub alias: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl Dir<'_> {
diff --git a/src/db/mod.rs b/src/db/mod.rs
index d459f39..2e54b9e 100644
--- a/src/db/mod.rs
+++ b/src/db/mod.rs
@@ -64,13 +64,27 @@ impl Database {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Increments the rank of a directory, or creates it if it does not exist.
-    pub fn add(&mut self, path: impl AsRef<str> + Into<String>, by: Rank, now: Epoch) {
+    /// Increments the rank of a directory and updates its alias if provided, or
+    /// creates with an optional alias it if it does not exist.
+    pub fn add(
+        &mut self,
+        path: impl AsRef<str> + Into<String>,
+        by: Rank,
+        now: Epoch,
+        alias: Option<String>,
+    ) {
         self.with_dirs_mut(|dirs| match dirs.iter_mut().find(|dir| dir.path == path.as_ref()) {
-            Some(dir) => dir.rank = (dir.rank + by).max(0.0),
-            None => {
-                dirs.push(Dir { path: path.into().into(), rank: by.max(0.0), last_accessed: now })
+            Some(dir) if alias.is_some() => {
+                dir.rank = (dir.rank + by).max(0.0);
+                dir.alias = alias;
             }
+            Some(dir) => dir.rank = (dir.rank + by).max(0.0),
+            None => dirs.push(Dir {
+                path: path.into().into(),
+                rank: by.max(0.0),
+                last_accessed: now,
+                alias,
+            }),
         });
         self.with_dirty_mut(|dirty| *dirty = true);
     }
@@ -78,24 +92,44 @@ impl Database {
     /// Creates a new directory. This will create a duplicate entry if this
     /// directory is always in the database, it is expected that the user either
     /// does a check before calling this, or calls `dedup()` afterward.
-    pub fn add_unchecked(&mut self, path: impl AsRef<str> + Into<String>, rank: Rank, now: Epoch) {
+    pub fn add_unchecked(
+        &mut self,
+        path: impl AsRef<str> + Into<String>,
+        rank: Rank,
+        now: Epoch,
+        alias: Option<String>,
+    ) {
         self.with_dirs_mut(|dirs| {
-            dirs.push(Dir { path: path.into().into(), rank, last_accessed: now })
+            dirs.push(Dir { path: path.into().into(), rank, last_accessed: now, alias })
         });
         self.with_dirty_mut(|dirty| *dirty = true);
     }
 
-    /// Increments the rank and updates the last_accessed of a directory, or
-    /// creates it if it does not exist.
-    pub fn add_update(&mut self, path: impl AsRef<str> + Into<String>, by: Rank, now: Epoch) {
+    /// Increments the rank and updates the last_accessed and alias of a
+    /// directory or creates it if it does not exist.
+    pub fn add_update(
+        &mut self,
+        path: impl AsRef<str> + Into<String>,
+        by: Rank,
+        now: Epoch,
+        alias: Option<String>,
+    ) {
         self.with_dirs_mut(|dirs| match dirs.iter_mut().find(|dir| dir.path == path.as_ref()) {
+            Some(dir) if alias.is_some() => {
+                dir.rank = (dir.rank + by).max(0.0);
+                dir.last_accessed = now;
+                dir.alias = alias;
+            }
             Some(dir) => {
                 dir.rank = (dir.rank + by).max(0.0);
                 dir.last_accessed = now;
             }
-            None => {
-                dirs.push(Dir { path: path.into().into(), rank: by.max(0.0), last_accessed: now })
-            }
+            None => dirs.push(Dir {
+                path: path.into().into(),
+                rank: by.max(0.0),
+                last_accessed: now,
+                alias,
+            }),
         });
         self.with_dirty_mut(|dirty| *dirty = true);
     }
@@ -240,11 +274,14 @@ mod tests {
         let data_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
         let path = if cfg!(windows) { r"C:\foo\bar" } else { "/foo/bar" };
         let now = 946684800;
+        let empty_alias: Option<String> = None;
+        let alias: Option<String> = Some(String::from("alias"));
 
         {
             let mut db = Database::open_dir(data_dir.path()).unwrap();
-            db.add(path, 1.0, now);
-            db.add(path, 1.0, now);
+            db.add(path, 1.0, now, empty_alias.clone());
+            db.add(path, 1.0, now, alias.clone());
+            db.add(path, 1.0, now, empty_alias.clone());
             db.save().unwrap();
         }
 
@@ -254,8 +291,10 @@ mod tests {
 
             let dir = &db.dirs()[0];
             assert_eq!(dir.path, path);
-            assert!((dir.rank - 2.0).abs() < 0.01);
+            assert!((dir.rank - 3.0).abs() < 0.01);
             assert_eq!(dir.last_accessed, now);
+            assert_eq!(dir.alias, alias);
+            assert_ne!(dir.alias, empty_alias);
         }
     }
 
@@ -267,7 +306,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         {
             let mut db = Database::open_dir(data_dir.path()).unwrap();
-            db.add(path, 1.0, now);
+            db.add(path, 1.0, now, None);
             db.save().unwrap();
         }
 
diff --git a/src/db/stream.rs b/src/db/stream.rs
index 4b06193..dada124 100644
--- a/src/db/stream.rs
+++ b/src/db/stream.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ impl<'a> Stream<'a> {
         while let Some(idx) = self.idxs.next() {
             let dir = &self.db.dirs()[idx];
 
-            if !self.filter_by_keywords(&dir.path) {
+            if !self.filter_path_by_keywords(&dir.path)
+                && !self.filter_alias_by_keywords(&dir.alias)
+            {
                 continue;
             }
 
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ impl<'a> Stream<'a> {
         resolver(path).map(|metadata| metadata.is_dir()).unwrap_or_default()
     }
 
-    fn filter_by_keywords(&self, path: &str) -> bool {
+    fn filter_path_by_keywords(&self, path: &str) -> bool {
         let (keywords_last, keywords) = match self.options.keywords.split_last() {
             Some(split) => split,
             None => return true,
@@ -104,6 +106,16 @@ impl<'a> Stream<'a> {
 
         true
     }
+
+    fn filter_alias_by_keywords(&self, alias: &Option<String>) -> bool {
+        match alias {
+            Some(alias) => {
+                let alias = alias.to_lowercase();
+                self.options.keywords.iter().all(|kw| alias.contains(kw))
+            }
+            None => false,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 pub struct StreamOptions {
@@ -206,6 +218,6 @@ mod tests {
         let db = &mut Database::new(PathBuf::new(), Vec::new(), |_| Vec::new(), false);
         let options = StreamOptions::new(0).with_keywords(keywords.iter());
         let stream = Stream::new(db, options);
-        assert_eq!(is_match, stream.filter_by_keywords(path));
+        assert_eq!(is_match, stream.filter_path_by_keywords(path));
     }
 }