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Home › Baby Names Directory › Adlai

Adlai

♀ Girl

Pronounced AD-lay /ˈæd.leɪ/Medium

Meaning: A Hebrew name usually read as 'my ornament' and sometimes as 'God is just'. In the Bible Adlai is a man, the father of a herdsman in Chronicles. In American memory it belongs to Adlai Stevenson, governor and presidential candidate. It is overwhelmingly a boy's name, and its use here for a girl is a clear cross-sex lean.Low

In 30 seconds: A biblical name with a crisp finish: Adlai is Hebrew for 'my ornament' (said 'AD-lay'). It is overwhelmingly a boy's name — we flag that plainly.
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Origin MediumHebrew
MeaningA Hebrew name usually read as 'my ornament' and sometimes as 'God is just'. In the Bible Adlai is a man, the father of a herdsman in Chronicles. In American memory it belongs to Adlai Stevenson, governor and presidential candidate. It is overwhelmingly a boy's name, and its use here for a girl is a clear cross-sex lean.
U.S. rank (2021)#11167 ↗ Rising
2021 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2014
Total births (all-time)≈ 81

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201419962021

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Adlai is Hebrew, usually glossed 'my ornament' and sometimes 'God is just,' though the sense is debated. In the Bible it belongs to a man named in Chronicles. In the United States it is tied to Adlai Stevenson, twice a presidential candidate and later ambassador to the United Nations. The name is overwhelmingly given to boys, and we flag the cross-sex lean clearly (said 'AD-lay').

For girls it appears only extremely rarely in the U.S., against far heavier boys' use. Rare, biblical, and boy-leaning.

Did you know? Adlai appears in Chronicles as a man's name, and it is best known in America through Adlai Stevenson. It is overwhelmingly a boy's name, so used for a girl it is a clear cross-sex choice, which we state plainly (said 'AD-lay').
Overall data confidence 45%
References — Adlai — Hebrew 'my ornament'; biblical man; Adlai Stevenson; strong boy lean

Variations

AdlayAdleyAdlie

Nicknames

AddieLai

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Adlai…

Adley— a near sound twin used for girls
Adalie— a like soft Ad- opening pick
Eliora— a like Hebrew girl's name
Maylin— a like crisp two-beat choice

Explore names like Adlai

By themehebrewbiblicalcross-sexunisex-lean-boy
By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Adlai mean?

Adlai is Hebrew, usually read as 'my ornament' and sometimes as 'God is just'; it belongs to a man named in Chronicles.

How do you pronounce Adlai?

It's said AD-lay /ˈæd.leɪ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Adlai a boy or girl name?

Adlai is overwhelmingly a boy's name; used here for a girl, it is a clear cross-sex choice and we flag that plainly.

How popular is Adlai?

Adlai is an extremely rare name for girls in the U.S., and far more common for boys.

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