Ali
From Arabic عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy, literally “high, exalted”), from the Arabic root ع ل ي (ʕ l y).
Every Ali since 1914 — 44,888 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ali
Ali is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #306 in 2025 with 1,116 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 44,888 American babies have been named Ali — about 77% boys and 23% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2014, when 1,251 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Ali stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ali 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 | 44 | #3,463 | 1,116 | #306 |
| 2024 | 71 | #2,508 | 1,066 | #323 |
| 2023 | 74 | #2,416 | 1,066 | #311 |
| 2022 | 88 | #2,157 | 1,124 | #301 |
| 2021 | 103 | #1,911 | 958 | #339 |
| 2020 | 93 | #2,006 | 1,017 | #324 |
| 2019 | 130 | #1,629 | 1,069 | #314 |
| 2018 | 111 | #1,830 | 1,094 | #310 |
| 2017 | 118 | #1,770 | 1,116 | #310 |
| 2016 | 154 | #1,485 | 1,087 | #322 |
| 2015 | 190 | #1,280 | 1,061 | #325 |
| 2014 | 240 | #1,068 | 1,011 | #334 |
| 2013 | 251 | #996 | 902 | #351 |
| 2012 | 307 | #865 | 872 | #352 |
| 2011 | 391 | #710 | 803 | #372 |
| 2010 | 387 | #724 | 850 | #357 |
| 2009 | 284 | #941 | 818 | #371 |
| 2008 | 320 | #872 | 742 | #398 |
| 2007 | 244 | #1,075 | 783 | #386 |
| 2006 | 241 | #1,060 | 827 | #359 |
| 2005 | 238 | #1,021 | 760 | #380 |
| 2004 | 284 | #865 | 726 | #379 |
| 2003 | 188 | #1,149 | 810 | #344 |
| 2002 | 193 | #1,098 | 870 | #319 |
| 2001 | 202 | #1,057 | 715 | #373 |
| 2000 | 235 | #919 | 684 | #380 |
| 1995 | 291 | #712 | 517 | #442 |
| 1990 | 308 | #688 | 440 | #472 |
| 1985 | 160 | #964 | 283 | #519 |
| 1980 | 69 | #1,657 | 249 | #545 |
| 1975 | 66 | #1,527 | 163 | #633 |
| 1970 | 33 | #2,308 | 77 | #911 |
| 1965 | — | — | 46 | #1,094 |
| 1960 | 6 | #5,706 | 25 | #1,619 |
| 1955 | — | — | 17 | #1,904 |
| 1950 | — | — | 14 | #2,021 |
| 1945 | — | — | 7 | #2,749 |
| 1940 | — | — | 8 | #2,672 |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | 7 | #3,296 |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Ali
- Ali Religious figure · 601–661
- Ali Khamenei Politician · b. 1939
- Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin Religious figure · 659–713
- Ali Pasha of Ioannina Politician · 1750–1822
- Ali al-Ridha Religious figure · 770–818
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ali mean?
From Arabic عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy, literally “high, exalted”), from the Arabic root ع ل ي (ʕ l y).
How popular is the name Ali in 2025?
Ali ranked #306 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,116 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ali?
44,888 babies have been named Ali in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ali most popular?
Ali peaked in 2014, when 1,251 newborns received the name.
Is Ali a boy or girl name?
Ali is used for both: about 23% of babies named Ali have been girls and 77% boys.
Is the name Ali rising or falling?
Ali is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ali?
Well-known people named Ali include Ali (religious figure), Ali Khamenei (politician), Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (religious figure).