Boy name · Arabic
Ali
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: high, exaltedAli is a boy's name that comes from Arabic and means "high, exalted". It is used in Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Indian.
- Meaning
- High, exalted
- Origin
- Arabic
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- AH-lee (Arabic)
Meaning and origin of Ali
As a boy's name, Ali comes from Arabic and means "high, exalted". It is used in Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Indian.
In Arabic, say AH-lee. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Ali is also a surname: the 366th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 84,529 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Ali on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Ali on 3 lists.
“Quick to say and easy to shout across a field”
From Nicknames for Alexa, classic nicknames for Alexa
“High, exalted; the Prophet's cousin and the fourth caliph.”
From Arabic names, arabic boy names
“Lofty, exalted; Arabic. Say AH-lee”
From Egyptian names, names at the top of Egypt's birth lists
How popular is Ali?
- US rank in 2025
- #306
- 1,116 babies, 653 per million boys
- Best rank
- #301 in 2022
- 1,124 babies that year
- Babies since 1914
- At least 34,383
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 1 per million |
| 1920s | 2 per million |
| 1930s | 5 per million |
| 1940s | 4 per million |
| 1950s | 8 per million |
| 1960s | 21 per million |
| 1970s | 105 per million |
| 1980s | 154 per million |
| 1990s | 264 per million |
| 2000s | 388 per million |
| 2010s | 525 per million |
| 2020s | 612 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #322 | #310 | #310 | #314 | #324 | #339 | #301 | #311 | #323 | #306 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Ali
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- AriA lion (Hebrew, boy)
- AdiJewel, ornament (Hebrew, unisex)
- AlfElf (Old Norse, boy)
- AlpHero, valiant (Turkish, boy)
- AoiHollyhock; blue (depends on characters) (Japanese, unisex)
- AviMy father (Hebrew, boy)
- AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
- AlexDefender, protector (Greek, unisex)
- AzizPowerful, respected, beloved (Arabic, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- AugustExalted, venerable (Latin, boy)
- AliyahVariant of Aaliyah, high, lofty, sublime (Arabic, girl)
- AaliyahFeminine form of Aali, high, lofty, sublime (Arabic, girl)
- AbramHigh father (Hebrew, boy)
- AugustoExalted, venerable (Latin, boy)
- BridgetExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- BridieExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- BrigitteExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- AlphegeElf high (Old English, boy)
Middle names for Ali
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Arabic
- AbdullahServant of God (Arabic, boy)
- AhmadMost praiseworthy (Arabic, boy)
- HaiderLion (Arabic, boy)
- HassanHandsome, good (Arabic, boy)
- MansurVictorious (Arabic, boy)
- MuhammadPraised, praiseworthy (Arabic, boy)
- NoorLight, radiance (Arabic, unisex)
- AdelJust, fair (Arabic, boy)
- AmirPrince, commander (Arabic, boy)
- FalakCelestial sphere, sky (Arabic, unisex)
Ali: common questions
What does the name Ali mean?
Ali comes from Arabic and means "high, exalted".
Is Ali a boy or girl name?
Ali is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 44 girls and 1,116 boys in the US were named Ali, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Ali come from?
Ali comes from Arabic and means "high, exalted". Today it is used in Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Indian.
How do you pronounce Ali?
In Arabic, say AH-lee. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Ali?
Ali ranked #306 in the US in 2025, with 1,116 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Ali?
Names spelled like Ali include Ari, Adi, Alf, Alp and Aoi.
What middle names go with Ali?
Middle names that flow well with Ali include Burton, Carlton, Joseph, Leander and Marshall. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.