Wali
Boy name · #2431 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Wali? In official American birth records, Wali has been tracked continuously since 1951, giving it 74 years of documented American history.
Wali is currently the #2431 boy name in the United States — 56 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2966, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 32,143 boys born in 2025 was named Wali.
The 74-year story
Wali first appears in the Social Security records in 1951, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 65 boys were named Wali — good for #2134 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 Wali per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Wali against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wali in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Wali is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Wali will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Wali is most common
State-level data for Wali 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).
Names like Wali
Statistically, parents drawn to Wali tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Naftali, Denali, Yuri, Neftali, and Wolf.
NaftaliDenaliYuriNeftaliWolfRafiBramMace
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wali | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 56 | #2421 |
| 2024 | 36 | #3272 |
| 2023 | 37 | #3228 |
| 2022 | 45 | #2830 |
| 2021 | 39 | #3074 |
| 2020 | 52 | #2467 |
| 2019 | 51 | #2556 |
| 2018 | 49 | #2579 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2345 |
| 2016 | 65 | #2134 |
| 2015 | 39 | #2966 |
| 2014 | 24 | #4138 |
| 2013 | 18 | #4981 |
| 2012 | 17 | #5256 |
| 2011 | 17 | #5200 |
| 2010 | 15 | #5741 |
| 2009 | 13 | #6436 |
| 2008 | 20 | #4714 |
| 2007 | 15 | #5661 |
| 2006 | 23 | #4105 |
| 2005 | 18 | #4631 |
| 2004 | 13 | #5813 |
| 2003 | 17 | #4616 |
| 2002 | 16 | #4703 |
| 2001 | 16 | #4676 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Wali?
In official American birth records, the name Wali first appeared in 1951 (over 74 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 74 years.
Is Wali a popular boy name?
Wali ranked #2431 among boys in 2025 with 56 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2966.
When was the name Wali most popular?
Wali peaked in 2016, when 65 American boys received the name (ranked #2134 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Wali?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 32,143 newborn American boys was named Wali. 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.