Ali
High, exalted, or noble · Arabic origin
What does Ali mean?
Ali is a male name of Arabic origin, meaning “High, exalted, or noble”.
How popular is Ali?
In England & Wales, Ali ranked #106 among boys' names in 2024, with 500 babies given the name, close to its #132 of 2014. That is its best showing in the England & Wales series, which begins in 1996.
In the United States, Ali was the #324 boys' name in the 2020 data — its best showing in the US series, which samples one year per decade from 1880.
The two territories disagree about Ali: #106 in England & Wales against #324 in the US — a markedly more British choice.
| Year | E&W rank | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | #157 | 218 |
| 2000 | #137 | 276 |
| 2005 | #130 | 397 |
| 2010 | #129 | 484 |
| 2015 | #137 | 425 |
| 2020 | #141 | 396 |
| 2024 | #106 | 500 |
Who are famous people named Ali?
- Ali Khamenei · cleric and former Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 to 2026 (1939–2026)
- Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib · 4th Rashidun Caliph (r. 656–661) and first Shia Imam
- Ali Abdullah Saleh · President of North Yemen (1978–1990) and Yemen (1990–2012)
What names go well with Ali?
More on Ali
Short, Arabic and quietly grand, Ali means high, exalted or noble, and it ranks well from Canada to France.
Ali: three letters with a lofty meaning — Ali as our Name of the Day.
Muhammad: the praiseworthy name topping the charts — Ali gets a mention.
Alice: the quiet classic that went global — Ali gets a mention.
Swipe & match on Ali in Settle