ChatGPT
Claude
Gemini
Perplexity
The short answer
Ali is a masculine name used in Arabic and Persian. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Means ‘lofty, sublime’ in Arabic, from the root علا (ʿalā) meaning ‘to be high’. Ali ibn Abi Talib was a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the fourth caliph to rule the Muslim world." It ranked #306 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, means ‘lofty, sublime’ in Arabic, from the root علا (ʿalā) meaning ‘to be high’. Ali ibn Abi Talib was a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the fourth caliph to rule the Muslim world. The entry lists its usage as Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu and others.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Ali ranked #306 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #306 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Arabic) and that sit near Ali in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ali mean?
Ali means "lofty, sublime", according to Behind the Name.
Is Ali a popular name?
Ali ranked #306 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Ali a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Ali appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Ali (1) — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
