Unisex · #12,230 in 2026

Ale

Ale is a style of beer, brewed using a warm fermentation method. In medieval England, the term referred to a drink brewed without hops.

Current Rank
#12,230
Peak Rank
#8,299 (2005)
Total Babies
18
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #16,416 (5 total)
👦 Boy peak #8,299 (18 total)
👦As Boy Name
2005
First Year
2023
Last Year
2005
Peak Year
#8299
Peak Rank
18
Total Count
3
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
2015
First Year
2015
Last Year
2015
Peak Year
#16416
Peak Rank
5
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ale

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Ale is a style of beer, brewed using a warm fermentation method. In medieval England, the term referred to a drink brewed without hops.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Ale

As a girl name

Ale first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2015, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 5 Ales were born — ranking #16,416 that year. As of 2026, Ale ranks #16,416 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Ales have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Ale first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2005, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2005, when 8 Ales were born — ranking #8,299 that year. As of 2026, Ale ranks #12,230 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 18 Ales have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Ale

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ale is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Ail
  • Aile
  • Ael
  • Ayle
  • Aille
  • Ayl
  • All
  • Al
  • Aisle
  • El
  • Eel
  • Eal

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ale

What does the name Ale mean?
Ale is a style of beer, brewed using a warm fermentation method. In medieval England, the term referred to a drink brewed without hops.
How popular is Ale in 2026?
In 2026, Ale ranks #12,230 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Ale most popular?
Ale reached its peak popularity in 2005, ranking #8,299 that year with 8 babies given the name.
Is Ale a unisex name?
Yes — Ale is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 22% of Ales assigned female and 78% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Ale?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ale include Candler, Cutberto, Faruq. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Ale

Ale is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2005 and has accumulated 18 births in the dataset. Ale's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #8,299. Use the chart and map above to compare Ale's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.