Wali: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,448

among boys · ↑879 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Wali · +56% vs 2024

How common

1 in 30,501

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2016

65 babies

All-time total

1,248

#4,454 all-time among boys

First recorded

1951

in Social Security records

Wali popularity over time

1,248 babies have been named Wali since 1951, 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

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	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–
1950s	5	1	–	#4,229
1960s	33	3	+560%	#2,973
1970s	172	17	+421%	#1,477
1980s	147	15	-15%	#2,593
1990s	116	12	-21%	#3,601
2000s	160	16	+38%	#4,213
2010s	350	35	+119%	#2,144
2020s (to 2025)	265	44	+26%	#2,448

Where Wali is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	55	0.03	outside top 500
2027	55	0.03	outside top 500
2028	55	0.03	outside top 500
2029	54	0.03	outside top 500
2030	54	0.03	outside top 500

The story of Wali

Wali is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,448 in 2025 with 56 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1951, 1,248 American babies have been named Wali. Its peak came in 2016, when 65 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 Wali stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Wali?

The median living Wali is about 15 years old; half are between 6 and 38. An estimated 1,200 people named Wali are alive in the United States today.

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

Wali year by year

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

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	56	#2,448
2024	36	#3,327
2023	37	#3,286
2022	45	#2,867
2021	39	#3,116
2020	52	#2,504
2019	51	#2,579
2018	49	#2,616
2017	55	#2,385
2016	65	#2,144
2015	39	#3,019
2014	24	#4,255
2013	18	#5,159
2012	17	#5,467
2011	17	#5,415
2010	15	#6,018
2009	13	#6,787
2008	20	#4,891
2007	15	#5,890
2006	23	#4,213
2005	18	#4,814
2004	13	#6,120
2003	17	#4,809
2002	16	#4,901
2001	16	#4,881
2000	9	#7,380
1995	12	#5,110
1990	12	#4,661
1985	11	#4,038
1980	17	#2,826
1975	37	#1,477
1970	–	–
1965	9	#2,973
1960	–	–
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Wali?

The median living Wali is about 15 years old. Half of all living Walis are between 6 and 38 years old.

How many people named Wali are alive today?

An estimated 1,200 people named Wali are alive in the United States, based on 1,248 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Wali mean?

Wali is a masculine given name of Arabic origin.

How popular is the name Wali in 2025?

Wali ranked #2,448 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 56 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Wali?

1,248 babies have been named Wali in the United States since 1951, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Wali most popular?

Wali peaked in 2016, when 65 newborns received the name.

Is Wali a boy or girl name?

Wali is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Wali rising or falling?

Wali is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Wali become more popular?

Wali looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 54 boys named Wali in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Wali

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

Compare Wali with similar names → More names starting with W →