Ali (name)

Ali
Pronunciation Arabic pronunciation: [ʕaˈliː] (no glottal stop)
Finnish pronunciation: [ɑli]
Gender Male
Language(s) Arabic, Finnish, Turkish, Albanian
Origin
Meaning High, Exalted, Noble
Other names
Variant form(s) Aly
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Ali (Arabic: علي‎, ʿAlī) is a male Arabic name, derived from the Arabic root ʿ-L-Y which literally means "high" or "Elevated". It is a common name in Arabic countries and the rest of the Muslim world. Islamic traditional use of the name goes back to Ali ibn Abu Talib, the Islamic leader and cousin of Muhammad, but the name is identical in form and meaning to the Hebrew: עֵלִי ‎, Eli, which goes back to the Eli in the biblical Books of Samuel.

The name Ali can arise away from Islam; among English-speakers as short for male and female names starting with "Al-", or the Old Norse man's name Áli. It can also be an English nickname, as a shortened form of Alexandra, Alison, Alice, or Alistair.

Ali is also a Finnish male given name, derived from Aleksanteri.[1] Also, households by a river are often named Ali- "downstream" and Yli- "upstream", thus the component Ali- occurs in surnames derived from these, e.g. Ali-Yrkkö "the house downstream of Yrkkö". Finnish people whose names start with "Ali" are sometimes suspected abroad of being terror suspects and thus are excessively targeted for security checks at U.S and German airports.[2]

Islam

Legendary Norse kings

Given name

Males

Middle name

Females

Surname

Derived names

Male

Female

Entertainment

Stage name or pseudonym

Fictional characters

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kustaa Vilkuna, Marketta Huitu and Pirjo Mikkonen. Etunimet, published in Joka kodin suuri nimikirja. Suuri Suomalainen Kirjakerho, 1990.
  2. ↑ http://yle.fi/uutiset/ali-nimisia_suomalaisia_epaillaan_muslimeiksi_yhdysvaltain_rajalla/6312781 (in Finnish)