Al
A diminutive of the male given names Alan, Albert, Alexander, Alfred, and other male or female names beginning with Al- [[#English|]], from the Celtic languages, the…
Every Al since 1880 — 17,334 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Al
Al is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,822 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 17,334 American babies have been named Al. Its peak came in 1959, when 450 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Al stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Al year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 12 | #6,822 |
| 2024 | — | — | 8 | #9,016 |
| 2023 | — | — | 16 | #5,671 |
| 2022 | — | — | 11 | #7,285 |
| 2021 | — | — | 12 | #6,712 |
| 2020 | — | — | 19 | #4,861 |
| 2019 | — | — | 13 | #6,413 |
| 2018 | — | — | 26 | #3,995 |
| 2017 | — | — | 20 | #4,750 |
| 2016 | — | — | 17 | #5,325 |
| 2015 | — | — | 19 | #4,895 |
| 2014 | — | — | 14 | #6,004 |
| 2013 | — | — | 23 | #4,187 |
| 2012 | — | — | 22 | #4,396 |
| 2011 | — | — | 17 | #5,209 |
| 2010 | — | — | 20 | #4,684 |
| 2009 | — | — | 29 | #3,641 |
| 2008 | — | — | 21 | #4,545 |
| 2007 | — | — | 19 | #4,815 |
| 2006 | — | — | 21 | #4,371 |
| 2005 | — | — | 28 | #3,451 |
| 2004 | — | — | 33 | #3,015 |
| 2003 | — | — | 36 | #2,730 |
| 2002 | — | — | 50 | #2,126 |
| 2001 | — | — | 33 | #2,799 |
| 2000 | — | — | 54 | #1,926 |
| 1995 | — | — | 65 | #1,477 |
| 1990 | — | — | 79 | #1,238 |
| 1985 | — | — | 92 | #950 |
| 1980 | 8 | #7,424 | 109 | #847 |
| 1975 | 6 | #7,993 | 135 | #713 |
| 1970 | 10 | #5,064 | 148 | #672 |
| 1965 | — | — | 210 | #530 |
| 1960 | — | — | 392 | #398 |
| 1955 | — | — | 286 | #434 |
| 1950 | 6 | #4,742 | 216 | #447 |
| 1945 | — | — | 216 | #409 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,356 | 166 | #449 |
| 1935 | — | — | 209 | #376 |
| 1930 | 9 | #3,056 | 172 | #451 |
| 1925 | 9 | #3,364 | 125 | #549 |
| 1920 | — | — | 150 | #493 |
| 1915 | — | — | 175 | #405 |
| 1910 | — | — | 73 | #285 |
| 1905 | — | — | 39 | #319 |
| 1900 | — | — | 37 | #357 |
| 1895 | — | — | 23 | #399 |
| 1890 | — | — | 15 | #492 |
| 1885 | — | — | 17 | #441 |
| 1880 | — | — | 12 | #526 |
Famous people named Al
- Al Pacino Actor · b. 1940
- Al Capone Mafioso · 1899–1947
- Al Gore Politician · b. 1948
- Al Jarreau Singer · 1940–2017
- Al Oerter Athlete · 1936–2007
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Al mean?
A diminutive of the male given names Alan, Albert, Alexander, Alfred, and other male or female names beginning with Al- [[#English|]], from the Celtic languages, the Germanic languages, Ancient Greek, or Old English.
How popular is the name Al in 2025?
Al ranked #6,822 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Al?
17,334 babies have been named Al in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Al most popular?
Al peaked in 1959, when 450 newborns received the name.
Is Al a boy or girl name?
Al is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Al rising or falling?
Al is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Al?
Well-known people named Al include Al Pacino (actor), Al Capone (mafioso), Al Gore (politician).