Boy's name · Companion (sahabi)
Ali: meaning and origin
علي- Meaning
- High, exalted
- Arabic
- علي
- Say it
- a-LEE
- Gender
- Boy
- Origin
- Companion (sahabi)
- Also spelled
- Aly
- Source
- Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah; Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqat
Who he was
'Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet's ﷺ cousin and son-in-law, the first boy to accept Islam and the fourth caliph. Al-'Ali (the Most High) is also a name of Allah; 'Ali without "al-" is a human name.
Related names
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ali mean?
High, exalted.
How do you pronounce Ali?
Say it as a-LEE; capitals mark the stressed syllable. In Arabic it is written علي.
Is Ali in the Quran?
No, the name itself is not a word in the Quran. It is known as the name of a companion of the Prophet ﷺ, recorded in Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah.
Is Ali a boy's or girl's name?
Ali is a boy's name.
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