Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1952

Adlai

Meaning God is just Gender Unisex · 13% girls Rank 2025 #10,719

Adlai is a male given name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is just".

Rank 2025
#10,719
among boys · ↓803 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
13
named Adlai
How common
1 in 284,679
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1952
39 babies
All-time total
696
#7,013 all-time among boys
First recorded
1891
in Social Security records

Adlai popularity over time

696 babies have been named Adlai since 1891, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – 37 37 4 – #480
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – 21 21 2 – #3,781
1930s – 5 5 1 -76% #3,551
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – 104 104 10 – #1,182
1960s – 16 16 2 -85% #3,676
1970s – 12 12 1 -25% #5,133
1980s – 35 35 4 +192% #5,157
1990s 5 51 56 6 +60% #4,884
2000s 23 109 132 13 +136% #4,813
2010s 39 157 196 20 +48% #4,534
2020s (to 2025) 21 61 82 14 -30% #4,572

The story of Adlai

Adlai is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #10,719 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1891, 696 American babies have been named Adlai, about 87% boys and 13% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1952, when 39 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Adlai stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Adlai?

The median living Adlai is about 17 years old; half are between 9 and 31. An estimated 600 people named Adlai are alive in the United States today.

median 17 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Adlai year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 7 #11,956 6 #10,719
2024 – – 7 #9,916
2023 – – 8 #8,940
2022 – – 22 #4,572
2021 8 #11,175 9 #8,178
2020 6 #13,483 9 #8,089
2019 – – 14 #6,108
2018 5 #15,736 18 #5,108
2017 6 #14,170 15 #5,795
2016 6 #14,374 9 #8,158
2015 – – 18 #5,061
2014 9 #10,986 10 #7,567
2013 – – 20 #4,622
2012 6 #15,007 21 #4,534
2011 7 #13,374 15 #5,676
2010 – – 17 #5,255
2009 6 #15,278 12 #6,811
2008 5 #17,559 12 #6,771
2007 – – 19 #4,813
2006 – – 13 #6,098
2005 – – 11 #6,645
2004 7 #12,782 7 #8,940
2003 – – 7 #8,659
2002 5 #15,477 14 #5,136
2001 – – 7 #8,356
2000 – – 7 #8,218
1995 – – – –
1990 – – 7 #6,420
1985 – – 7 #5,157
1980 – – 6 #5,533
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – 5 #4,042
1955 – – 12 #2,302
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – 5 #4,200
1920 – – 5 #4,292
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Adlai

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Adlai Stevenson II Adlai Stevenson II American politician and diplomat (1900–1965) Contemporary
  2. 2 Adlai Stevenson I Adlai Stevenson I Vice President of the United States from 1893 to 1897 1835–1914 · 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Adlai, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Adlai?

The median living Adlai is about 17 years old. Half of all living Adlais are between 9 and 31 years old.

How many people named Adlai are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Adlai are alive in the United States, based on 696 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Adlai mean?

Adlai is a male given name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is just".

How popular is the name Adlai in 2025?

Adlai ranked #10,719 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 6 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Adlai?

696 babies have been named Adlai in the United States since 1891, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Adlai most popular?

Adlai peaked in 1952, when 39 newborns received the name.

Is Adlai a boy or girl name?

Adlai is used for both: about 13% of babies named Adlai have been girls and 87% boys.

Is the name Adlai rising or falling?

Adlai is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Adlai?

Well-known people named Adlai include Adlai Stevenson II (diplomat), Adlai Stevenson I (politician).

Names like Adlai

Names that sound and feel close to Adlai: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Adlai with similar names → More names starting with A →