Rising since 1985, #306 for boys today.
Popularity of Ali since 1914
Babies named Ali per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 5 |
| 1920s | 0 | 23 |
| 1930s | 0 | 50 |
| 1940s | 0 | 65 |
| 1950s | 0 | 166 |
| 1960s | 20 | 408 |
| 1970s | 786 | 1,733 |
| 1980s | 1,591 | 2,846 |
| 1990s | 2,927 | 5,140 |
| 2000s | 2,429 | 7,735 |
| 2010s | 2,279 | 9,865 |
| 2020s | 473 | 6,347 |
Meaning & origin
Ali is a name of Arabic origin with deep religious and cultural significance. First recorded in the U.S. in 1914, it has seen a steady rise in popularity since 1985, reaching its peak rank of 306 in 2025. The name is particularly popular in states like Michigan, Washington D.C., and New York. With 1 in 1,531 boys receiving the name, Ali strikes a balance between uncommon and accessible. Its trajectory suggests continued growth, reflecting broader appreciation for Arabic names in American culture.
Ali is derived from the Arabic root '‘-l-w' (ع-ل-و) meaning 'high' or 'exalted'. It is closely associated with Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and the fourth caliph in Sunni Islam as well as the first imam in Shia Islam. The name has been widely used across the Muslim world for centuries and gained some popularity in the West during the 20th century.
Where Ali is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Ali” around the world
Where Ali lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
#79
in 2024
Ireland
25
babies in 2025
New Zealand
25
babies in 2025
Quebec
#76
in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#58
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Sibling names for Ali
Names that share Ali's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Aisha, Fatima, Zahra, Layla, Noor, Aishah, Asma, Ayesha, Khadija, Khadijah, Mariam, Maryam, Medina, Zainab, Alaa, Amna, Elif, Fatimah, Hafsa, Hanan, Haniya, Haya, Heba, Madina, Marwa, Naimah, Neda, Nour, Razan, Safia, Sahar, Sina, Sumaya, Syeda, Tasneem, Zaynab, Zeinab, Aamina, Aaminah, Aicha, Aishia, Anum, Areej, Asli, Asmaa, Ayisha, Batool, Batoul, Bibi, Bushra, Dalal, Defne, Dunya, Esma, Fatema, Fatma, Habiba, Hafsah, Hajar, Hanaa, Imaan, Jihan, Joud, Layal, Madiha, Mehak, Nafisa, Nasreen, Nazli, Nisreen, Nur, Nura, Nusaybah, Raniah, Rida, Ruqayyah, Safaa, Sahra, Saima, Saja, Sarra, Sumaiya, Sumayah, Sumayya, Sumayyah, Sura, Tahani, Yumna, Zehra, Zeina, Zoha, Aaisha, Aamna, Ayshia, Cennet, Eisha, Esraa, Faduma, Fajr, Fathima, Fatuma, Hind, Huma, Humaira, Jannatul, Jenan, Kawthar, Khadeeja, Khadeejah, Khadejah, Lubna, Mahreen, Maimuna, Marium, Meryem, Mumtaz, Nimra, Nusaiba, Rabia, Reham, Remas, Retaj, Rukiya, Rumaisa, Ruqayya, Sabah, Sabiha, Samina, Shaima, Shazia, Simra, Suad, Tasnia, Warda, Zahraa, Zeynab, Zeynep, Beyza, Faten, Khadeja, Nusayba, Ahlaam, Aiysha, Amnah, Ayse, Duru, Emine, Farha, Fatemah, Fatimazahra, Ghada, Hadicha, Hadija, Hajer, Halah, Hasana, Houda, Ilayda, Janat, Javeria, Kadija, Kawsar, Kowsar, Maham, Manahil, Maymuna, Maymunah, Narjis, Nejla, Nimco, Nurah, Nury, Nusaibah, Razia, Rokia, Roohi, Ruqaya, Ruya, Sameen, Sharifah, Shatha, Shayma, Soraiya, Sukaina, Umaima, Yassmin, Yassmine, Zamzam, Zanobia, Zayneb, Zuha
Brothers: Hamza, Hassan, Hussein, Omar, Yusuf, Abdul, Abdullah, Adel, Ahmad, Ahmed, Ameer, Arham, Asad, Aydin, Emir, Farhan, Hasan, Karim, Khaled, Mahmoud, Mohamed, Mohammad, Mohammed, Muhammad, Musa, Mustafa, Saeed, Syed, Umar, Abbas, Abdulrahman, Hadi, Hamzah, Hashim, Humza, Hussain, Imran, Jawad, Jibril, Jihad, Mahdi, Mohamad, Muhammed, Nael, Osman, Reda, Saad, Usman, Yaseen, Yousif, Youssef, Yousuf, Abdalla, Abdel, Abdelrahman, Abu, Abubakar, Abubakr, Adem, Affan, Ahmaad, Ahmet, Akbar, Bader, Can, Ehab, Emad, Emin, Emre, Haider, Hamad, Hamed, Hanif, Hasaan, Hashem, Hesham, Husain, Huzaifa, Ibn, Jafar, Kadir, Kasim, Kassim, Kerem, Khan, Luqman, Mahamed, Maher, Md, Mehdi, Mehmet, Mostafa, Mouhamed, Mousa, Moussa, Muaz, Muhamed, Mujtaba, Murtaza, Musab, Naji, Naser, Osama, Othman, Qasim, Rashed, Raza, Reza, Riyad, Sayed, Shahid, Shariff, Umair, Wael, Yahia, Yasser, Yonis, Younes, Zein, Zeyad, Ziad, Ziyad, Zubair, Abdou, Abdulwahab, Abdur, Ahmar, Ahmod, Aladdin, Alam, Alhassan, Amad, Amr, Amro, Asim, Ata, Atif, Badr, Ege, Eisa, Farouk, Haidar, Hasnain, Hassen, Hasson, Husayn, Hussam, Hussien, Issam, Kamel, Kemal, Kerim, Khalifa, Mahmud, Mohsen, Moiz, Mourad, Moustafa, Muhamad, Mustafo, Mustapha, Sabri, Sharief, Sohaib, Sufian, Tareq, Umer, Waris, Yacine, Yahye, Yousaf, Yussef, Zubayr, Jehad, Mohanad, Mouhamad, Omran, Shahab, Abas, Abdi, Abou, Alhasan, Amahd, Awad, Awais, Billal, Brahim, Emaad, Essam, Haji, Hamzeh, Hilal, Humzah, Juma, Kassem, Kazim, Khaalid, Louay, Mohab, Mohannad, Mohmmad, Muaad, Muhammadyusuf, Muhanad, Muhannad, Mussa, Noman, Nouh, Osamah, Osmany, Quasim, Qusay, Ramadan, Razi, Sayeed, Sayf, Sayyid, Seyed, Siddiq, Sufyaan, Taher, Tawhid, Turki, Usama, Uthman, Wasif, Yehia, Yousof, Yussuf, Zeki, Zyad
Names like Ali
Names whose popularity has moved with Ali's over the last 50 years.
