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Name Lineage

    The first name Ali

    A unisex name from Arabic meaning “high”, “exalted”.

    Pronounced /ˈɑːli/ 2 syllables Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Arabic origin

    Ali means “high”, “exalted” in Arabic.

    From Arabic عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy, literally “high, exalted”), from the Arabic root ع ل ي (ʕ l y).

    Ali is a short form of

    .

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 502 boys were named Ali, making it the 103rd most popular boys’ name.

    0300600 1996200020052010201520202025
    11,877
    babies named Ali, 1996–2025
    #103
    rank in 2025
    2025
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ali with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Ali at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 1,116 boys born in the United States were named Ali, the 306th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 1,124 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    44,888
    babies named Ali since 1880
    #306
    rank in 2025
    2022
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Ali in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    عَلِيّ
    ʕaliyy
    Arabic
    阿里
    Ālǐ
    Chinese
    Eljo
    Esperanto
    עֵלִי
    Elí
    Hebrew
    अली
    alī
    Hindi
    Alì
    Italian
    アリ
    Ari
    Japanese
    알리
    Alli
    Korean
    Али́
    Alí
    Russian
    Alí
    Spanish
    Алі́
    Alí
    Ukrainian

    Spelled Ali in Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Polish, Portuguese and Turkish too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Ali

    181 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib
      4th Rashidun Caliph (r. 656–661) and first Shia Imam
    • Ali Larter
      American actress and model (born 1976)
    • Ali al-Rida
      Eighth of the Twelve Shia Imams (766–818)
    • Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani
      Arab historian, writer, poet and musicologist (897–967)
    • Ali Pasha
      Albanian ruler (1740–1822)
    • Ali Smith
      British author and journalist, born 1962
    • Ali Fethi Okyar
      2nd Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey (1880–1943)
    • Ali Wong
      American comedian and actress (born 1982)
    • Ali ibn Yusuf
      5th Almoravid king, 1083–1143
    • Ali Kafi
      Algerian politician (1928-2013)
    • Ali Krieger
      American soccer player, born 1984
    • Ali Maâloul
      Egypt association football player, born 1990

    More Arabic unisex names

    All 218 names of Arabic origin

    Questions

    What does the name Ali mean?
    Ali means “high”, “exalted” in Arabic.
    What is the origin of the name Ali?
    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, 502 boys born in England and Wales were named Ali, ranking 103rd.
    Is Ali a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 44,888 US babies named Ali since 1880, 23% were girls and 77% boys.
    When was Ali most popular?
    2022 in the United States, when 1,124 babies were named Ali, its highest rank at 301st.
    How do you pronounce Ali?
    Ali is /ˈɑːli/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Ali?
    Aly and Alee.
    Is Ali also a surname?
    Yes. Ali is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.