b babynamesuggestion
Menu

Your Shortlist

0 names saved

Ali

Quick answerAli derives from Arabic "aliy", meaning "elevated" or "exalted." Ali ibn Abi Talib, a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, is a central figure in Islam, especially revered in Shia tradition.

Arabic · Boy · 2 syllables

A
Top 500

Popularity & facts

Relative popularity index, 2010–2025
GenderBoy
US Rank#306
TrendStable
Peak year2022
Syllables2
OriginArabic
LanguageArabic
CultureArabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Pashto, Indonesian, Malay, Avar, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, Kazakh
Letters3
Numerology4 Chaldean 5
Global rank#9

Popularity over time

Popularity index
Hover the line to see any year. 100 = most popular.

Historical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data

About the name Ali

Ali derives from Arabic "aliy", meaning "elevated" or "exalted." Ali ibn Abi Talib, a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, is a central figure in Islam, especially revered in Shia tradition.

Cross-referenced with Wikidata/Wikipedia.

Etymology

Ali is a common unisex given name and surname of multiple origins.

Ali currently ranks #306 in the United States as a boy's name. It reached its peak popularity around 2022.

Variants & nicknames

Contribute to this name

Help improve this page with a meaning, origin, or correction—and get credited as a contributor.

Login to contribute

We use Google & Facebook login — no password needed.

AdvertisementAd — responsive (after data block)

Sibling name ideas

Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Pashto, Indonesian, Malay, Avar, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, Kazakh names that sit beautifully beside Ali

Similar names you might like

Names starting with A

Names that sound like Ali

Phonetic match, not just spelling
Ayla
Girl Hebrew

"Ayla means "halo" or "light" and derives from Turkish and Hebrew linguistic roots, with the Turkish form stemming from "ay"…"

Global rank #26 View name
Aila
Girl Finnish

"Aila means "light" or "brightness" and derives from the Arabic root عيل (ayl) or Hebrew origins meaning "deer" or "gazelle,"…"

Global rank #49 View name
Alya
Girl Arabic

"The name Alya derives from Arabic roots, with meanings including "high," "elevated," or "sublime," connected to the Arabic word "aliyy"…"

Global rank #53 View name
Alaya
Unisex English (Modern)

"The name 'Alaya' primarily means "sublime" or "exalted" in Sanskrit, derived from the root *ā-* (toward) and *laya* (rest or…"

Global rank #57 View name
Alaia
Unisex Basque

"Alaia means "noble" or "joyful" and derives from the Basque language, where it carries connotations of brightness and elevation."

Global rank #61 View name
Aaliyah
Unisex Arabic

"Aaliyah derives from the Arabic name Aliyah (علياء), meaning "exalted," "high," or "sublime," from the root word 'aliya' meaning to…"

Global rank #70 View name
Alea
Girl English (Rare)

"The name Alea derives from Latin "alea," meaning "dice" or "chance," and is rooted in the concept of gambling or…"

Global rank #83 View name
Aliya
Girl Arabic

"Aliya derives from Arabic "aliy", meaning "exalted", "high", or "noble.""

Global rank #117 View name
Aliyah
Unisex Arabic

"Aliyah derives from the Arabic word "ʿaliyya" (عليا), meaning "exalted," "highest," or "sublime," rooted in the verb "ʿalā" meaning "to…"

Global rank #119 View name
Ailo
Boy Scandinavian

"The given name 'Ailo' is derived from the Old Norse word 'Áiló', meaning 'beauty' or 'radiance', and is related to…"

Global rank #178 View name
Auli
Girl Finnish

"Auli derives from Sanskrit and means "court" or "palace," rooted in the Sanskrit word *aula*."

Global rank #181 View name
Aili
Girl Finnish

"Aili is a Hawaiian name meaning "chief" or "high-ranking person," derived from the Hawaiian language root referring to nobility and…"

Global rank #198 View name
AdvertisementAd — between sections

Names trending right now

Rising names for Boys

Help us make this better for every parent

Found a mistake · Know a name we’re missing · Have a different or better meaning for a name · Any question or recommendation — your insight helps families worldwide choose with confidence.

Share your feedback →
Scroll to Top
Follow & Connect