Unisex · #368 in 2026

Ari

Ari is a given name in many languages and cultures, for both men and women. It also may be a nickname for a wide variety of unrelated names.

Current Rank
#368
Peak Rank
#328 (2022)
Total Babies
22K
5-Yr Trend
+7%
👧 Girl peak #435 (8K total)
👦 Boy peak #328 (22K total)
👦As Boy Name
1958
First Year
2026
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#328
Peak Rank
22K
Total Count
69
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1961
First Year
2026
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#435
Peak Rank
8K
Total Count
60
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ari

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

Ari is a given name in many languages and cultures, for both men and women. It also may be a nickname for a wide variety of unrelated names.

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

The Story of Ari

As a girl name

Ari first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1961, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 721 Aris were born — ranking #435 that year. As of 2026, Ari ranks #510 for girls with 600 births, rising sharply (+25% over the past five years). In total, more than 8K Aris have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Ari first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1958, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 1,029 Aris were born — ranking #328 that year. As of 2026, Ari ranks #368 for boys with 895 births, gradually rising (+7%). In total, more than 22K Aris have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s 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 Ari

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

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ari

What does the name Ari mean?
Ari is a given name in many languages and cultures, for both men and women. It also may be a nickname for a wide variety of unrelated names.
How popular is Ari in 2026?
In 2026, Ari ranks #368 among boys' names in the U.S., with 895 babies given the name that year.
When was Ari most popular?
Ari reached its peak popularity in 2022, ranking #328 that year with 1,029 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Ari most popular?
Ari has historically been most popular in Vermont, District of Columbia, Delaware. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ari.
Is Ari a unisex name?
Yes — Ari is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 28% of Aris assigned female and 72% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Ari?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ari include Dudley, Vance, Rusty. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Ari

Ari is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1958 and has accumulated 22K births in the dataset. Ari's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #328. Use the chart and map above to compare Ari'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.