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Home › Baby Names Directory › Alif

Alif

♂ Boy

Pronounced AH-leef /ˈɑː.liːf/Medium

Meaning: Alif is the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet (and of the Semitic aleph), often read symbolically as 'first, foremost, the beginning'; it also connects to a root meaning 'to be familiar, close.' Used as a given name across the Muslim world.Low

In 30 seconds: Alif is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet — a name that reads as 'first, foremost' (said 'AH-leef'). Clean, meaningful, and rooted in Arabic.
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Origin MediumArabic
MeaningAlif is the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet (and of the Semitic aleph), often read symbolically as 'first, foremost, the beginning'; it also connects to a root meaning 'to be familiar, close.' Used as a given name across the Muslim world.
U.S. rank (2025)#12097 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2020
Total births (all-time)≈ 181

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202019732025

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

Alif is the first letter of the Arabic script (cognate with Hebrew aleph and Greek alpha), and as a given name it is read symbolically as 'first, foremost.' It carries clean, alphabetic symbolism and appears across the Arabic-speaking and wider Muslim world (said 'AH-leef').

In the U.S. it is uncommon and reads as a heritage Arabic pick. Rare, rooted, and crisp.

Did you know? Alif is the very first letter of the Arabic alphabet, so the name carries a quiet sense of 'first' or 'the beginning' — much as A does in English (said 'AH-leef').
Overall data confidence 55%
References — Alif — First letter of the Arabic alphabet; Arabic given name

Variations

AliefAleef

Nicknames

AliLif

Famous Bearers

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If you like Alif…

Aref— a fellow meaningful Arabic name
Arsam— a like heritage Arabic pick
Asem— another rooted Arabic choice
Avaan— a like short heritage name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Alif mean?

Alif is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, read symbolically as 'first, foremost' or 'the beginning.'

How do you pronounce Alif?

It's said AH-leef /ˈɑː.liːf/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Alif a boy or girl name?

Alif is used here as a boy's name.

How popular is Alif?

Alif is an uncommon name in the U.S., read as a heritage Arabic pick.

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