Unisex nameCurrently #323 in the USSteady
Ali
AH-lee//ˈɑːli//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20153 lettersStarts with A
Meaning & origin
Elevated, exalted
Ali comes from the Arabic 'ali', meaning high, elevated, or exalted, and was the name of the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, a foundational figure in Islamic history. Short and widely recognized, it is popular across the Muslim world and in Western countries alike.
Ali's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Ali |
|---|---|
| 1914 | 5 |
| 1924 | 5 |
| 1926 | 5 |
| 1927 | 7 |
| 1928 | 6 |
| 1930 | 7 |
| 1931 | 6 |
| 1933 | 6 |
| 1934 | 5 |
| 1936 | 5 |
| 1937 | 8 |
| 1938 | 7 |
| 1939 | 6 |
| 1940 | 8 |
| 1941 | 7 |
| 1943 | 8 |
| 1944 | 11 |
| 1945 | 7 |
| 1946 | 5 |
| 1947 | 6 |
| 1948 | 5 |
| 1949 | 8 |
| 1950 | 14 |
| 1951 | 9 |
| 1952 | 17 |
| 1953 | 16 |
| 1954 | 20 |
| 1955 | 17 |
| 1956 | 15 |
| 1957 | 15 |
| 1958 | 18 |
| 1959 | 25 |
| 1960 | 31 |
| 1961 | 29 |
| 1962 | 32 |
| 1963 | 35 |
| 1964 | 54 |
| 1965 | 46 |
| 1966 | 35 |
| 1967 | 38 |
| 1968 | 52 |
| 1969 | 76 |
| 1970 | 110 |
| 1971 | 244 |
| 1972 | 218 |
| 1973 | 214 |
| 1974 | 255 |
| 1975 | 229 |
| 1976 | 269 |
| 1977 | 260 |
| 1978 | 320 |
| 1979 | 400 |
| 1980 | 318 |
| 1981 | 302 |
| 1982 | 331 |
| 1983 | 320 |
| 1984 | 388 |
| 1985 | 444 |
| 1986 | 565 |
| 1987 | 566 |
| 1988 | 559 |
| 1989 | 646 |
| 1990 | 748 |
| 1991 | 724 |
| 1992 | 716 |
| 1993 | 743 |
| 1994 | 792 |
| 1995 | 807 |
| 1996 | 853 |
| 1997 | 893 |
| 1998 | 891 |
| 1999 | 897 |
| 2000 | 918 |
| 2001 | 917 |
| 2002 | 1,063 |
| 2003 | 998 |
| 2004 | 1,010 |
| 2005 | 997 |
| 2006 | 1,068 |
| 2007 | 1,027 |
| 2008 | 1,062 |
| 2009 | 1,102 |
| 2010 | 1,237 |
| 2011 | 1,194 |
| 2012 | 1,178 |
| 2013 | 1,153 |
| 2014 | 1,250 |
| 2015 | 1,251 |
| 2016 | 1,240 |
| 2017 | 1,233 |
| 2018 | 1,203 |
| 2019 | 1,198 |
| 2020 | 1,108 |
| 2021 | 1,061 |
| 2022 | 1,212 |
| 2023 | 1,140 |
| 2024 | 1,131 |
Ali through the decades
- Ali peaked in 2015, when 1,251 babies were named Ali in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Ali has risen 5% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Ali currently ranks #323 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Ali
Variants & spellings
Aly
Famous people named Ali
- Muhammad Ali — boxer