ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1951

First Year

2026

Last Year

2016

Peak Year

#1455

Peak Rank

1K

Total Count

61

Years Active

🌍

## Meaning & Origin of Wali

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

Wali is a masculine given name of Arabic origin. Notable people with the name include:

Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wali%5F%28given%5Fname%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wali%5F%28given%5Fname%29)

📖

## The Story of Wali

American parents first put Wali on the record books as a baby boy name in 1951, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2016, when 65 Walis were born — ranking #2,134 that year. About 28% of every Wali on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Wali ranks #3,542 for baby boys with 33 births, falling sharply (-25%). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1950s to the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## 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 Wali

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

* Wolly
* Wolley
* [Wally](/wally)
* [Walley](/walley)
* [Wallie](/wallie)
* Waly
* [Willy](/willy)
* Wallow
* [Willie](/willie)
* [Wiley](/wiley)
* Wooly
* [Wily](/wily)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Wali

What does the name Wali mean?

Wali is a masculine given name of Arabic origin. Notable people with the name include:

How popular is Wali in 2026?

In 2026, Wali ranks #3,542 among boys' names in the U.S., with 33 babies given the name that year.

When was Wali most popular?

Wali reached its peak popularity in 2016, ranking #1,455 that year with 65 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Wali most popular?

Wali has historically been most popular in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Wali.

Is Wali a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Wali is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Wali?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Wali include Percell, Myrtle, Thurlow. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👦PercellPeak #1455](/percell)[👦MyrtlePeak #1454](/myrtle)[👦ThurlowPeak #1454](/thurlow)[👦OsiePeak #1454](/osie)[👦RoosveltPeak #1456](/roosvelt)[👦LadislausPeak #1454](/ladislaus)[👦LauroPeak #1456](/lauro)[👦SheilaPeak #1454](/sheila)

## About the name Wali 

Wali is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1951 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Wali's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #1,455\. Use the chart and map above to compare Wali's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 2016 → ](/year/2016)
* [ Names of the 2010s → ](/decade/2010s)
* [ Names starting with "W" → ](/letter/w)
* [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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.