Ali

Arabic: “lofty” or “exalted”; English short forms have a separate origin.

Ali has more than one naming tradition. In Arabic, علي is a masculine name meaning “lofty” or “exalted”, used as a complete name. It has a major place in Islamic history through Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law. In English, Ali is also a feminine short form of names including Alison and Alexandra; that separate origin does not carry the Arabic meaning automatically. The Arabic name can feel dignified and direct. Its pronunciation also deserves its own space: Arabic /ˈʕa.liːj/ starts with the consonant ʿayn, while the English feminine short form /ˈæl.i/ has a different opening. Asking how someone says Ali acknowledges a real difference between names that look identical in Latin letters.

Etymology: Arabic Ali comes from ʿalī, “lofty” or “exalted”. English Ali can independently shorten names such as Alison or Alexandra.