Genali was a village in the territory of the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Keshishkend (Yeghegnadzor) district, and present-day Vayots Dzor province. It was located 12 km to the northeast of the village of Arpa, on the bank of the Yelpin River, 6 km to the north of the village of Yelpin. it was marked on the five-verst map of the Caucasus.

The village was solely inhabited by Azerbaijanis: 96 in 1873, 125 in 1886, 151 in 1897, 169 in 1904, 185 in 1914 and 216 Azerbaijanis in 1916. The Azerbaijanis were attacked, massacred or ousted by Armenian armed formations in 1918. After the establishment of Soviet power in present-day Armenia, the Azerbaijanis who survived managed to return to their own village. The village was inhabited by 49 Azerbaijanis in 1922. The Azerbaijanis were completely forced out in 1924–1925, and the village was reduced to ruins in 1933.

The first component of the toponym is the word “gen” which is the shortened form of the word “kend” (a village) and the second component is the personal name “Ali” which together denote “Ali’s village”.