boy's name · in the US
Ali
AH-lee (English)
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Boy (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 100,153
the United States
#306
2025 births
Ali is a name of Arabic origin meaning "exalted" or "high." It comes from the root ʿ-l-w and belonged to the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, making it one of the most significant names in Islam.
- Ali is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in 2014, when 1,251 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 2,858 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1914.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ali Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1910s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 |
| 1920s | 23 |
| 1930s | 50 |
| 1940s | 65 |
| 1950s | 166 |
| 1960s | 428 |
| 1970s | 2,519 |
| 1980s | 4,437 |
| 1990s | 8,067 |
| 2000s | 10,164 |
| 2010s | 12,144 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 6,820 |
What Ali Means
Ali means high, exalted or noble. It is an adjective rather than a compound, from the same root that gives al-ʿAli, the Exalted, one of the names of God.
Where Ali Comes From
Ali comes from the Arabic root ʿ-l-w, meaning height or elevation. Ali ibn Abi Talib was the Prophet Muhammad's cousin, the husband of his daughter Fatima, and the fourth caliph; for Shia Muslims he is the first Imam and the rightful successor, which is the founding division of Islam. The name is entirely separate from the unrelated European Ali used as a short form of Alison or Alice, and from Ali as a diminutive of Alexander — a coincidence of spelling that birth records cannot distinguish, which is part of why the name registers as unisex.
Ali in Use
Birth records record Ali for both sexes and shows it at 103 in England and Wales, peaking in 2014 and stable since. The unisex classification is largely an artefact: the male Arabic name and the female European short form share a spelling, and birth registers do not separate them.
How Popular Is Ali?
In 2025, Ali was given to 1,160 babies in the United States, ranking #306 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Ali Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Ali
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Ali Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ali over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Ali is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Boys' 8% girls · 11,699 babies
- France Boys' 0% girls · 7,935 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 0% girls · 4,377 babies
- Canada Boys' 3% girls · 3,541 babies
- Ireland Both 42% girls · 293 babies
- Scotland Boys' 0% girls · 195 babies
How to Say Ali
- English AH-lee /ˈaliː/
Ali in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Ali
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Ali — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Ali
What does the name Ali mean?
Ali means "exalted" or "high," from the Arabic root ʿ-l-w.
Who was Ali in Islam?
The Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, and the fourth caliph. Shia Muslims regard him as the first Imam.
Is Ali a boy's or a girl's name?
The Arabic name is male. Birth records show it as unisex because the European short form of Alison and Alice shares the spelling.
How popular is the name Ali?
In 2025, Ali was given to 1,160 babies in the United States, ranking #306 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
How many syllables are in Ali?
Ali has 2 syllables.
When was Ali most popular?
Ali peaked in 2014, when 1,251 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Ali a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ali currently ranks #70 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.