What does Amir mean?
Amir is an Arabic name meaning “prince,” “ruler” or “commander.”
What does Ali mean?
Ali means “exalted,” “noble” or “sublime” in Arabic.
Amir vs Ali
Which is more popular?
Amir is more popular than Ali today: about 3,297 US babies were given the name Amir in 2025, compared with 1,116 named Ali.
| Amir | Ali | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Prince, commander | Exalted, noble |
| Origin | Arabic | Arabic |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | ah-MEER | AH-lee |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1954 | 1914 |
| Peak year | 2024 (3,640) | 2022 (1,124) |
| In 2025 | 3,297 | 1,116 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Amir
Ali
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Amir | Ali |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 20,129 | 6,347 |
| 2010s | 20,481 | 9,865 |
| 2000s | 8,869 | 7,735 |
| 1990s | 3,615 | 5,140 |
| 1980s | 1,843 | 2,846 |
| 1970s | 655 | 1,733 |
| 1960s | 144 | 408 |
| 1950s | 11 | 166 |
| 1940s | 0 | 65 |
| 1930s | 0 | 50 |
| 1920s | 0 | 23 |
| 1910s | 0 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Amir or Ali more popular?
Amir is more popular than Ali today: about 3,297 US babies were given the name Amir in 2025, compared with 1,116 named Ali.
What is the difference between Amir and Ali?
Amir means Prince, commander (Arabic origin), while Ali means Exalted, noble (Arabic origin).
Which name is older, Amir or Ali?
In US records, Amir first appears in 1954 and Ali in 1914, so Ali has the longer recorded history.