Fun Facts About the Name Yali
- 126 babies named Yali: U.S. records list 126 babies given the name Yali from 1880 through 2025. Even 31 boys received the name Yali - about 1 boy for every 3 girls.
What Does the Name Yali Mean?
Yali has more than one unrelated origin, so it carries more than one meaning. As a Chinese given name it is usually written 雅丽 (Yǎlì): 雅 (yǎ) means "elegant" or "refined," and 丽 (lì) means "beautiful," giving the customary sense "elegant and beautiful." The same sound can be written with other characters, such as 亚丽, which keep the pronunciation but change the shade of meaning.
In Hebrew, Yali is used as a short, affectionate form of Yael (יָעֵל) and takes its meaning from that longer name: "ibex," the wild mountain goat of the region. The meaning here is not built from the sounds ya-li but carried over from the name it shortens.
A third, separate item is the Turkish word yalı, a waterside mansion. In Turkish this is chiefly a common noun and a surname rather than a given name, so it is not the source of the personal name's meaning.
Yali Name History & Origins
Chinese given names commonly pair two characters chosen for their sense, and 雅丽 follows that pattern, combining a character for refinement with one for beauty. Names of this type are given to girls in Chinese-speaking communities, and the same sound can be spelled with different characters, each with its own overtone.
The Hebrew name Yali grew out of Yael, which appears in the biblical Book of Judges as the wife of Heber the Kenite who killed the Canaanite commander Sisera. Yael's name means "ibex." Modern Hebrew favors short forms ending in -i as everyday names and nicknames, and Yali fits that habit; it is used as a given name in Israel alongside the full form Yael.
The Turkish yalı developed as an architectural and geographical term for the timber waterfront residences built along the Bosphorus and nearby shores, especially in the Ottoman period. It remains a word and a family name, distinct from the personal names above.
How Popular is the Name Yali?
Yali has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #8,956 in 2023.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #12,065 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #8,956 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #9,029 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #15,146 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #11,035 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #17,881 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #18,012 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #14,254 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #18,997 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #16,419 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #14,907 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #20,079 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #13,770 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | #12,258 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #9,619 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #10,719 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #14,434 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #13,159 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with Y
Short Girl Names That Start with Y
How the Name Yali Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual. You hate bondage in any form. You have love of beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You are willing to take spiritual matters on faith instead of subjecting them to mental analysis. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Yali's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Yali's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.