Declining since 2021, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Alif since 1973
Babies named Alif per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 25 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 12 |
| 2000s | 49 |
| 2010s | 49 |
| 2020s | 41 |
Meaning & origin
Alif is a name drawn directly from the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. In the United States, it first appeared on the Social Security list in 1973 and reached its peak rank in 2020. As of 2025 it stands at rank 12,008, with approximately 1 in 341,615 newborn boys receiving the name, reflecting a falling trajectory since 2021. The name is especially popular among Muslim families who value its symbolic connection to divine unity, and its simplicity makes it easy to pronounce across languages.
Alif is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, and in Islamic tradition it is often associated with the oneness of God, as the shape of alif is vertical and singular. It appears in the Quran as a mystic letter opening some surahs. As a given name, it is used primarily in South Asia and the Middle East, sometimes as a short form of longer names like Alifuddin.
“Alif” around the world
Where Alif lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Alif
Names that share Alif's style, for a brother or sister.
