Ali
Boy name · #306 in 2025 · Uniqueness 48/100
Ali ranks #306 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 1,116 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #325, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,613 boys born in 2025 was named Ali.
Babies named Ali per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 111-year story
Ali first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 1,124 babies and a rank of #301. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ali against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ali in class?
Ali scores 48 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Ali is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ali is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Alis were MI (157), NY (116), TX (114), CA (108), IL (63). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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 Ari, Asa, Avi, Armani, and Avery.
AriAsaAviArmaniAveryAmariZaneKade
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ali | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,116 | #306 |
| 2024 | 1,066 | #323 |
| 2023 | 1,066 | #311 |
| 2022 | 1,124 | #301 |
| 2021 | 958 | #339 |
| 2020 | 1,017 | #324 |
| 2019 | 1,069 | #314 |
| 2018 | 1,094 | #310 |
| 2017 | 1,116 | #310 |
| 2016 | 1,087 | #322 |
| 2015 | 1,061 | #325 |
| 2014 | 1,011 | #334 |
| 2013 | 902 | #351 |
| 2012 | 872 | #352 |
| 2011 | 803 | #372 |
| 2010 | 850 | #357 |
| 2009 | 818 | #371 |
| 2008 | 742 | #398 |
| 2007 | 783 | #386 |
| 2006 | 827 | #359 |
| 2005 | 760 | #380 |
| 2004 | 726 | #379 |
| 2003 | 810 | #344 |
| 2002 | 870 | #319 |
| 2001 | 715 | #373 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ali a popular boy name?
Ali ranked #306 among boys in 2025 with 1,116 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #325.
When was the name Ali most popular?
Ali peaked in 2022, when 1,124 American boys received the name (ranked #301 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ali?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,613 newborn American boys was named Ali. It scores 48/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.