From Hebrew meaning 'my ornament' or 'God is just'; a biblical name borne by the father of a herdsman of David.
Adlai is a Biblical Hebrew name, appearing in the Old Testament in 1 Chronicles as the father of one of King David's herdsmen. Its meaning is generally rendered as 'my witness,' 'God is just,' or 'refuge of God' — a name built from the theological confidence that characterized so many Hebrew names of the ancient world. It belongs to the tradition of giving children names that were small theological statements, assertions of faith encoded in the syllables a parent would call out every day.
In the modern era, the name is most closely associated with Adlai Ewing Stevenson, the Illinois politician who ran twice for the American presidency in the 1950s, losing to Dwight Eisenhower in both 1952 and 1956. Stevenson was renowned for his wit, his intellectual elegance, and his eloquence in defeat — qualities that gave the name Adlai a certain mid-century association with thoughtful, principled public life. His grandfather, Adlai Stevenson I, had served as Vice President under Grover Cleveland, making the name a rare example of a political dynasty built around an unusual Biblical given name.
Outside the Stevenson legacy, Adlai has remained rare, which gives it an appealing distinctiveness. It sits in the same territory as Ezra, Amos, or Silas — Old Testament names that feel both ancient and fresh, grounded in deep tradition yet uncrowded in contemporary use. For parents drawn to Biblical names that have not been thoroughly worn smooth by popularity, Adlai offers real character and a quiet historical weight.