Ali
Girl name · #3478 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Ali? In official American birth records, Ali has been tracked continuously since 1960, giving it 65 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 44 baby girls were named Ali, placing it at #3478 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1280, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 40,909 girls born in 2025 was named Ali.
The 65-year story
Ali first appears in the Social Security records in 1960, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2011, when 391 girls were named Ali — good for #710 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Ali per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ali against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ali in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ali is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ali will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ali is most common
State-level data for Ali is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Nicknames & related forms of Ali
Ali belongs to the Allison family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Allison family went to about 3,781 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #61, versus #3478 for Ali alone.
Names like Ali
Statistically, parents drawn to Ali tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Natali, Anali, Anjali, Magali, and Mali.
NataliAnaliAnjaliMagaliMaliKalliAniTali
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ali | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 44 | #3459 |
| 2024 | 71 | #2508 |
| 2023 | 74 | #2415 |
| 2022 | 88 | #2156 |
| 2021 | 103 | #1910 |
| 2020 | 93 | #2005 |
| 2019 | 130 | #1629 |
| 2018 | 111 | #1830 |
| 2017 | 118 | #1770 |
| 2016 | 154 | #1485 |
| 2015 | 190 | #1280 |
| 2014 | 240 | #1068 |
| 2013 | 251 | #996 |
| 2012 | 307 | #865 |
| 2011 | 391 | #710 |
| 2010 | 387 | #724 |
| 2009 | 284 | #941 |
| 2008 | 320 | #872 |
| 2007 | 244 | #1075 |
| 2006 | 241 | #1060 |
| 2005 | 238 | #1021 |
| 2004 | 284 | #865 |
| 2003 | 188 | #1149 |
| 2002 | 193 | #1098 |
| 2001 | 202 | #1056 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ali?
In official American birth records, the name Ali first appeared in 1960 (over 65 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 65 years.
Is Ali a popular girl name?
Ali ranked #3478 among girls in 2025 with 44 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1280.
When was the name Ali most popular?
Ali peaked in 2011, when 391 American girls received the name (ranked #710 that year). Since 2011 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ali?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 40,909 newborn American girls was named Ali. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.