girls' name · peaked 1998

Ally

A diminutive of the female given names Alice, Alison, Alexandra, and other names beginning with Al-[[]], from the Germanic languages or Ancient Greek.

Every Ally since 1985 — 10,247 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex — comparable across eras
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys
Rank 2025
#2,118
among girls
Babies in 2025
88
named Ally
Peak year
1998
636 babies
All-time total
10,247
since 1985

The story of Ally

Ally is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,118 in 2025 with 88 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1985, 10,247 American babies have been named Ally. Its peak came in 1998, when 636 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.

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 Ally stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Ally 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 88 #2,118
2024 107 #1,872 7 #9,950
2023 117 #1,750
2022 131 #1,613
2021 148 #1,450
2020 158 #1,373
2019 177 #1,295
2018 184 #1,255
2017 215 #1,152
2016 272 #984
2015 319 #872
2014 381 #737
2013 463 #606
2012 499 #584
2011 419 #674
2010 418 #686
2009 349 #810
2008 383 #767
2007 419 #697 5 #12,445
2006 456 #630
2005 425 #652
2004 473 #594
2003 394 #670
2002 444 #582
2001 383 #657
2000 418 #605
1995 73 #1,900
1990 62 #2,101
1985 13 #5,360
1980
1975
1970
1965
1960
1955
1950
1945
1940
1935
1930
1925
1920
1915
1910
1905
1900
1895
1890
1885
1880

Famous people named Ally

  1. Ally McCoist Soccer player · b. 1962
  2. Ally Sheedy Actor · b. 1962
  3. Ally Walker Actor · b. 1961
  4. Ally Brooke Singer · b. 1993

Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Ally mean?

A diminutive of the female given names Alice, Alison, Alexandra, and other names beginning with Al-[[]], from the Germanic languages or Ancient Greek.

How popular is the name Ally in 2025?

Ally ranked #2,118 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 88 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Ally?

10,247 babies have been named Ally in the United States since 1985, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Ally most popular?

Ally peaked in 1998, when 636 newborns received the name.

Is Ally a boy or girl name?

Ally is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Ally rising or falling?

Ally is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Ally?

Well-known people named Ally include Ally McCoist (soccer player), Ally Sheedy (actor), Ally Walker (actor).

Names like Ally

Compare Ally with similar names →