Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1959

Al

Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 #6,822

A diminutive of the male given names Alan, Albert, Alexander, Alfred, and other male or female names beginning with Al- [[#English|]], from the Celtic languages, the…

Rank 2025
#6,822
among boys · ↑2,194 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
12
named Al
How common
1 in 142,340
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1959
450 babies
All-time total
17,334
#903 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Al popularity over time

17,334 babies have been named Al since 1880, 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
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 209 209 21 – #298
1890s – 228 228 23 +9% #346
1900s – 385 385 39 +69% #291
1910s 34 1,227 1,261 126 +228% #285
1920s 48 1,428 1,476 148 +17% #433
1930s 46 1,924 1,970 197 +33% #376
1940s 29 2,345 2,374 237 +21% #379
1950s 41 3,219 3,260 326 +37% #372
1960s 5 2,520 2,525 253 -23% #398
1970s 44 1,409 1,453 145 -42% #619
1980s 8 972 980 98 -33% #819
1990s – 620 620 62 -37% #1,210
2000s – 324 324 32 -48% #1,926
2010s – 191 191 19 -41% #3,995
2020s (to 2025) – 78 78 13 -32% #4,861

The story of Al

Al is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,822 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 17,334 American babies have been named Al. Its peak came in 1959, when 450 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 Al stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Al?

The median living Al is about 63 years old; half are between 48 and 71. An estimated 9,500 people named Al are alive in the United States today.

median 63 020406080100

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

Al 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 – – 12 #6,822
2024 – – 8 #9,016
2023 – – 16 #5,671
2022 – – 11 #7,285
2021 – – 12 #6,712
2020 – – 19 #4,861
2019 – – 13 #6,413
2018 – – 26 #3,995
2017 – – 20 #4,750
2016 – – 17 #5,325
2015 – – 19 #4,895
2014 – – 14 #6,004
2013 – – 23 #4,187
2012 – – 22 #4,396
2011 – – 17 #5,209
2010 – – 20 #4,684
2009 – – 29 #3,641
2008 – – 21 #4,545
2007 – – 19 #4,815
2006 – – 21 #4,371
2005 – – 28 #3,451
2004 – – 33 #3,015
2003 – – 36 #2,730
2002 – – 50 #2,126
2001 – – 33 #2,799
2000 – – 54 #1,926
1995 – – 65 #1,477
1990 – – 79 #1,238
1985 – – 92 #950
1980 8 #7,424 109 #847
1975 6 #7,993 135 #713
1970 10 #5,064 148 #672
1965 – – 210 #530
1960 – – 392 #398
1955 – – 286 #434
1950 6 #4,742 216 #447
1945 – – 216 #409
1940 5 #4,356 166 #449
1935 – – 209 #376
1930 9 #3,056 172 #451
1925 9 #3,364 125 #549
1920 – – 150 #493
1915 – – 175 #405
1910 – – 73 #285
1905 – – 39 #319
1900 – – 37 #357
1895 – – 23 #399
1890 – – 15 #492
1885 – – 17 #441
1880 – – 12 #526

Famous people named Al

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

  1. 1 Al Pacino Al Pacino American actor (born 1940) Contemporary
  2. 2 Al Capone Al Capone American gangster and businessman (1899–1947) 19th century
  3. 3 Al Gore Al Gore Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 b. 1948 · Contemporary
  4. 4 Al Sharpton Al Sharpton American Baptist minister, activist and talk show host (born 1954) Contemporary
  5. 5 Al Green Al Green American soul singer, songwriter and pastor (born 1946) Contemporary
  6. 6 Al Horford Al Horford Dominican basketball player (born 1986) Contemporary
  7. 7 Al Franken Al Franken American comedian and politician (born 1951) Contemporary
  8. 8 Al Jolson Al Jolson American entertainer (1886–1950) 19th century
  9. 9 Al Jardine Al Jardine American musician (born 1942) Contemporary
  10. 10 Al Stewart Al Stewart Scottish musician (born 1945) Contemporary
  11. 11 Al Jarreau Al Jarreau American singer (1940–2017) Contemporary
  12. 12 Al Lettieri Al Lettieri American actor (1928–1975) Contemporary
  13. 13 Al Smith Al Smith American politician (1873–1944) 19th century
  14. 14 Al Martino Al Martino American singer (1927–2009) Contemporary
  15. 15 Al Di Meola Al Di Meola American jazz fusion guitarist (born 1954) Contemporary
  16. 16 Al D'Amato Al D'Amato American attorney and politician (born 1937) Contemporary
  17. 17 Al Jean Al Jean American television writer and producer (born 1961) Contemporary
  18. 18 Al Pitrelli Al Pitrelli American guitarist b. 1962 · Contemporary
  19. 19 Al Joyner American track and field coach and former athlete b. 1960 · Contemporary
  20. 20 Al Unser Al Unser American racing driver (1939–2021) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Al?

The median living Al is about 63 years old. Half of all living Als are between 48 and 71 years old.

How many people named Al are alive today?

An estimated 9,500 people named Al are alive in the United States, based on 17,334 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Al mean?

A diminutive of the male given names Alan, Albert, Alexander, Alfred, and other male or female names beginning with Al- [[#English|]], from the Celtic languages, the Germanic languages, Ancient Greek, or Old English.

How popular is the name Al in 2025?

Al ranked #6,822 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Al?

17,334 babies have been named Al in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Al most popular?

Al peaked in 1959, when 450 newborns received the name.

Is Al a boy or girl name?

Al is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Al rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Al?

Well-known people named Al include Al Pacino (actor), Al Capone (mafioso), Al Gore (politician).

Names like Al

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

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