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    The first name Ari

    A unisex name from Hebrew meaning “lion”, “leib”.

    2 syllables Unisex

    Meaning and origin

    Hebrew origin

    Ari means “lion”, “leib” in Hebrew.

    Of the first sense, derives directly from Hebrew: אֲרִי (arí, “lion”); compare Yiddish: לייב (leyb, “Leib”), English: Leo, Leon, French: Léo, Léon, Czech: Lev, Polish: Lew, Russian: Лев (Lev), and Ukrainian: Лев (Lev).

    More names that mean lion.

    Ari is a short form of

    .

    A form of Arieh.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 145 boys were named Ari, making it the 310th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2023, with 204 births (#237).

    0150300 1996200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    1,839
    babies named Ari, 1996–2025
    #310
    rank in 2025
    2023
    peak year

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

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Ari at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 808 boys born in the United States were named Ari, the 393rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 1,030 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    28,254
    babies named Ari since 1880
    #393
    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.

    Famous people named Ari

    26 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Ari Aster
      American film director and screenwriter, born 1986
    • Ari
      Brazilian-born Russian footballer (born 1985)
    • Ari Koivunen
      Finnish singer, born 1984
    • Ari Fleischer
      American media consultant (born 1960)
    • Ari Stidham
      American actor, born 1992
    • Ari Hjelm
      Finnish footballer and coach, born 1962
    • Ari Lehman
      American actor, born 1965
    • Ari Emanuel
      American businessman and CEO of Endeavor, born 1961
    • Ari Sulander
      Finnish ice hockey player, born 1969
    • Ari Mannio
      Finnish javelin thrower, born 1987
    • Ari Gold
      American singer-songwriter (1974-2021)
    • Ari Nyman
      Finnish footballer, born 1984

    More Hebrew unisex names

    All 346 names of Hebrew origin

    Questions

    What does the name Ari mean?
    Ari means “lion”, “leib” in Hebrew.
    What is the origin of the name Ari?
    Of the first sense, derives directly from Hebrew: אֲרִי (arí, “lion”); compare Yiddish: לייב (leyb, “Leib”), English: Leo, Leon, French: Léo, Léon, Czech: Lev, Polish: Lew, Russian: Лев (Lev), and Ukrainian: Лев (Lev).
    How popular is the name Ari?
    In 2025, 145 boys born in England and Wales were named Ari, ranking 310th. Its peak was 2023, with 204 births.
    Is Ari a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 28,254 US babies named Ari since 1880, 27% were girls and 73% boys.
    When was Ari most popular?
    2022 in the United States, when 1,030 babies were named Ari, its highest rank at 328th.
    What name is Ari a form of?
    Ari is a form of Arieh.