Ali

Ali derives from the Arabic root ʿ-l-w, meaning high, elevated, or noble. The name was borne by Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, whose central role in early Islam made the name enormously significant across the Muslim world, particularly in Shia tradition. It spread widely through Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and many other languages wherever Islam took hold. Variant forms include Äli, Əli, and the unvoweled ʿAli, while the name also functions as a short form of various English names such as Alice or Alison when used for women.