Ali (name)
Ali is a common unisex name.
Ali is derived from the Arabic triconsonantal root ʕ-l-w, which literally means "high", "elevated", "champion", ”king of kings”, ”emperor”, and is used as both a given name and surname. Islamic traditional use of the name goes back to the Islamic leader Ali ibn Abi Talib, but the name is also present among some pre-Islamic Arabs. It is identical in form and meaning to the, Eli, which goes back to the High Priest Eli in the biblical Books of Samuel.
The Ali surname is especially common in Arab countries and the rest of the Muslim world.
Ali is the most common last name in Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Somalia, Kuwait and Libya. The last name can also be found among the Indian Muslim and Pakistani communities, as it is often associated with the descendants of Ali in these regions.
The name Ali is also used in various other cultures as a given name. Among English speakers it is used as a short form of male or female names starting with "Ali", such as Alice, Alison, Alisha, Alistair, Alexander, or Alexandra. In Old Norse, Áli and Åle are alternative forms of Onela. Ali is a Finnish male given name, derived from Aleksanteri.
Islam
- Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the fourth Caliph of Sunni Islam.
- Ali ibn Husayn, grandson of Ali ibn Abi Talib,
- Ali ibn Musa, eighth infallible Imam in Shia Islam
- Ali ibn Muhammad, tenth infallible Imam in Shia Islam
- Ali ibn Sahl Rabban al-Tabari, Persian Muslim scholar, physician and psychologist
- Ali al-Muktafi, Abbasīd caliph from 902 to 908
- Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, Imam in Shiʻi Islam
- Ali ibn al-Athir, 12th- and 13th-century Islamic historian and geographer
- Ali bin Hussein, King of Hejaz, second king of Hejaz
Given male name
Arts and entertainment
- 'Ali Ashraf, Iranian painter
- Ali Akbar Navis, Indonesian author
- Ali Campbell, British singer and member of UB40
- Ali Gatie, Iraqi-Canadian singer-songwriter
- Ali Hassan, Indian television actor
- Ali Kiba, Tanzanian singer and songwriter
- Ali Marhyar, French actor, film director and screenwriter
- Ali Özgentürk, Turkish film director
- Ali Rehman Khan, Pakistani actor
- Ali Saad (actor), Lebanese actor and voice actor
- Ali Saleem, Pakistani television host
- Ali Salem, Egyptian playwright
- Ali Shahalom, British-Bangladeshi comedian
- Ali Shaw (author), British author
- Ali Al-Zein, Lebanese actor and voice actor
Sports
- Ali Adnan Kadhim, Iraqi footballer
- Ali Alaaeddine, Lebanese footballer
- Ali Alanç, Turkish football manager
- Ali Annabi, Tunisian fencer
- Ali Asfand, Pakistani cricketer
- Ali Bacher, South African cricket batsman and administrator
- Ali Barat, Iranian football agent
- Ali Daei, Iranian footballer
- Ali Daher, Lebanese footballer
- Ali Demić, Bosnian basketball player
- Ali Dia, Senegalese footballer
- Ali Badara Dia, Guinea footballer
- Ali Eren Demirezen, Turkish amateur boxer
- Ali Fakih, Lebanese footballer
- Ali Farahat, Egyptian chess player
- Ali Farokhmanesh, American basketball player and coach
- Ali Fayad (disambiguation), multiple people
- Haydar Hassan Haj Al-Sidig, also known as Ali Gagarin, Sudanese footballer
- Ali Gaye, American football player
- Ali Ferit Gören, Austrian-Turkish Olympic sprinter
- Ali Güneş, Turkish footballer
- Ali Kabacalman, Swiss footballer
- Ali Kaya (athlete), Kenyan-Turkish long-distance runner
- Ali Kireş, Turkish footballer
- Ali Marpet, American football player in the NFL
- Ali Marwi, Kuwaiti footballer
- Ali Musse, Somali footballer
- Ali Noorzad, Afghan basketball player
- Ali Ölmez, Turkish footballer
- Ali Öztürk (footballer, born 1986), Turkish footballer
- Ali Öztürk (footballer, born 1987), Turkish footballer
- Ali Sabeh, Lebanese footballer
- Ali Sami Yen, Turkish Association football entrepreneur
- Ali Sánchez, Venezuelan professional baseball player
- Ali Sarı, Turkish taekwondo practitioner
- Ali Tandoğan, Turkish footballer
- Ali Topaloğlu, Turkish track and field athlete with Down syndrome
- Ali Turan, Turkish footballer
- Ali Williams, New Zealand rugby union player
- Ali Nihat Yazıcı, Turkish chess official
- Ali Efe Yeğin, Turkish professional motorcycle racer
Others
- Ali Aaltonen, Finnish Red Guard commander
- Ali Abdo, Ethiopian politician
- Ali al-Abdallah, Syrian writer and human rights activist
- Ali Akdemir, Turkish scientist
- Ali Al Bukhaiti, Yemeni politician, journalist, and writer
- Ali Alatas, Indonesian diplomat
- Ali Aldabbagh, Iraqi engineer and politician
- Ali ibn al-Athir, Hadith expert, historian and biographer
- Ali Abu Awwad, Palestinian pacifist
- Ali Babacan, Turkish politician
- Ali Saeed Badwan, Palestinian writer
- Ali Mohammad Besharati, Iranian politician
- Ali Aref Bourhan, Djiboutian politician
- Ali Bozer, Turkish politician
- Ali Brownlee, English sportscaster
- Ali Çetinkaya, Turkish Army officer
- Ali al-Dandachi, Syrian scout leader
- Ali Dizaei, Anglo-Iranian police officer and criminal
- Ali Džabič, Bosnian mufti
- Ali El-Sayed Ali Al-Moselhi, Egyptian politician
- Ali Erdemir, Turkish scientist
- Ali Fadel, Iraqi politician
- Ali Hassan al-Majid, Iraqi politician
- Ali ibn Hazm, Andalusian Muslim polymath and scholar
- Ali Hekimoğlu, Ottoman grand vizier and general
- Ali Jarbawi, Palestinian politician
- Ali Javan, Iranian American physicist
- Ali Karimov, Azerbaijani statesman
- Ali Kaya (serial killer), Turkish serial killer
- Ali Kazak, Palestinian diplomat
- Ali Kemal Bey, Turkish journalist, newspaper editor and poet
- Ali Khademhosseini, Iranian-Canadian bioengineer
- Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989
- Ali Kiliç, Ottoman Grand Admiral
- Ali Kony, Ugandan militant and LRA defector
- Ali Kordan, Iranian politician
- Ali Krasniqi, Kosovar Roma writer and activist
- Ali ibn Abbas al-Majusi, 11th-century physician
- Ali Maksum, Indonesian Islamic leader
- Ali al-Masudi, Arab historian, geographer and traveler
- Ali Mech, 13th-century tribal chief
- Ali Akbar Moinfar, Iranian politician
- Ali Moulana, Sri Lankan politician, chairman of Eravur Urban Council
- Ali Qanso, Lebanese politician
- Ali İsmet Öztürk, Turkish aerobatics pilot
- Ali Abu Al-Ragheb, Jordanian civil engineer and politician
- Ali ibn Ridwan, 11th-century astrologer
- Ali Sabancı, Turkish businessman
- Ali Sadikin, Indonesian politician
- Ali Said Raygal, Somali politician
- Ali Sastroamidjojo, 8th and 10th Prime Minister of Indonesia
- Ali Sayyar, Bahraini journalist and politician
- Ali bin Hossein Seydi, Ottoman admiral and author
- Ali Shayegan, Iranian politician
- Ali Tayebnia, Iranian academic and politician
- Ali Topuz, Turkish politician
- Ali Wallace (naturalist), assistant to naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace
- Ali Wazir, Pakistani politician and leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement
- Ali Yachkaschi, Iranian environmentalist
- Ali Yafie, Indonesian Islamic leader
- Ali Yusuf Kenadid, Somali Sultan of the Sultanate of Hobyo
- Ali I of Yejju, Ethiopian leader
- Ali II of Yejju, Ethiopian leader
Given female name
Arts and entertainment
- Ali Barter, Australian singer-songwriter
- Ali Bastian, English actress
- Ali Benjamin, American author
- Ali Brown, American author
- Ali Brustofski, American singer
- Ali Bryan, Canadian novelist
- Ali Caldwell, American singer
- Ali Cobrin, American actress
- Ali Cobby Eckermann, Australian poet
- Ali Ewoldt, American theatre actress
- Ali Fedotowsky, American television presenter
- Ali Gass, American curator
- Ali Hillis, American actress
- Ali Kay, American model
- Ali Landry, American model and actress
- Ali Larter, American actress
- Ali Lee, Hong Kong actress
- Ali Liebegott, American writer
- Ali Liebert, Canadian actress
- Ali Lohan, American model and actress
- Ali MacGraw, American actress
- Ali McGregor, Australian soprano
- Ali Michael, American fashion model
- Ali Rogers, American beauty pageant titleholder
- Ali Ryerson, American flutist
- Ali Shaw, Scottish television presenter
- Ali Smith, Scottish author
- Ali Sotto, Filipino actress
- Ali Spagnola, American musician
- Ali Sparkes, British author
- Ali Stephens, American model
- Ali Stone, Spanish record producer
- Ali Stroker, American actress
- Ali Tamposi, American songwriter
- Ali Wentworth, American actress
- Ali Wong, American comedian and actress
Sports
- Ali Bernard, American Olympic athlete
- Ali Brigginshaw, Australian international rugby league player
- Ali Frantti, American volleyball player
- Ali Johnson, English footballer
- Ali Krieger, American soccer player
- Ali Loke, Welsh squash player
- Ali Riley, American-born New Zealand soccer player
- Ali Viola, American softball player
Others
- Ali Cupper, Australian politician
- Ali France, Australian politicians
- Ali Hewson, Irish activist
- Ali Hogg, Australian activist
- Ali Vincent, American spokeswoman
- Ali Watkins, American journalist
- Kao Chin Su-mei, Taiwanese politician
Middle name
- Abbas Ali Khalatbari, Iranian diplomat
- Abdus Sobahan Ali Sarkar, Bengali MLA of Assam
- Ahmad Ali Sepehr, Iranian historian and politician
- Ahmed Ali Enayetpuri, Bengali author and journalist
- Ajmal Ali Choudhury, Bengali politician
- Akbar Ali Khan, Bangladeshi economist
- Golam Ali Chowdhury, Bengali landlord and philanthropist
- Güzelce Ali Pasha, Ottoman statesman and military figure
- Hatem Ali Jamadar, Bengali politician
- Janab Ali Majumdar, Bengali politician
- Lotf Ali Khan, last Shah of the Zand dynasty, of Persia
- Mahbub Ali Khan, Bangladeshi chief of naval staff
- Mehmet Ali Birand, Turkish journalist
- Mohammad Ali Varasteh, Iranian statesman
- Mohammed Ali Qamar, Bengali boxer
- Morshed Ali Khan Panni, Bangladeshi politician
- Müezzinzade Ali Pasha, Ottoman statesman and naval officer
- Najib Ali Choudhury, Bengali Islamic scholar
- Osman Ali Sadagar, Bengali-Assamese politician and educationist
- Rowshan Ali Chowdhury, Bengali journalist
- Saif Ali Khan, Indian film actor
- Seydi Ali Reis, Ottoman admiral and navigator
- Sherman Ali Ahmed, Bengali MLA of Assam
- Uluç Ali Reis, Italian farmer who became Kapudan Pasha
- Wajid Ali Choudhury, Bengali MLA of Assam
- Wajed Ali Khan Panni, Bengali aristocrat
- Wajid Ali Khan Panni II, Bangladeshi politician
- Yakub Ali Chowdhury, Bengali essayist
Surname
Arts and entertainment
- Aamir Ali, Indian television actor
- Ahmad Ali, Pakistani writer
- Ahmad Ismail Ali, Egyptian army officer
- Alauddin Ali, Bangladeshi music composer
- Ali, Indian film actor
- Begum Nawazish Ali, Pakistani television host
- Egypt Ali, stage name Egypt Speaks, American musician
- Filiz Ali, Turkish pianist
- Haysam Ali, Brazilian-American actor and entrepreneur
- Idris Ali (writer), Egyptian author
- Imtiaz Ali, Indian film director
- Laylah Ali, American visual artist
- Mahershala Ali, American actor
- Maya Ali, Pakistani actress
- Shahalom Ali, better known as Ali Shahalom, comedian and television presenter
- Rashied Ali, American drummer
- Sadeq Ali, Bengali poet, writer and judge
- Somy Ali, Bollywood actress
- Syed Murtaza Ali, Bengali writer and historian
- Tatyana Ali, American actress and singer
- Tabyana Ali, American actress and writer
Sports
- Abdulaziz Ali, Qatari footballer
- Ahmed Ali , Emirati football player
- Ahmad Ismail Ali, Commander-in-Chief of Egypt's army
- Almoez Ali, Qatari international footballer of Sudanese descent
- Awais Ali, Pakistani cricketer
- Hamdi Ali, Qatari high jumper
- Hameen Ali, American football player
- Hyder Ali, the Sultan and de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India
- Imtiaz Ali, West Indian cricketer
- Imtiaz Ali, Trinidadian cricketer
- Josh Ali, American football player
- Jusif Ali, Finnish footballer
- Khalid Ali, Emirati football defender
- Laila Ali, American television personality and former professional boxer, daughter of Muhammad Ali
- Meral Yıldız Ali, Romanian-Turkish female table tennis player
- Moeen Ali, English cricketer
- Muhammad Ali, American boxer, activist and philanthropist
- Mukhtar Ali, Saudi Arabian professional footballer
- Mohamed Ali, Indian professional footballer
- Nur Ali, Pakistani-American racing driver
- Rahaman Ali, American boxer, brother of Muhammad Ali
- Rasheen Ali, American football player
- Veronica Porché Ali, American psychologist and the former wife of boxer Muhammad Ali
Others
- Abu Ali (military general), Nigerian military brigadier general and politician
- Abu Saeed Muhammad Omar Ali, Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and translator
- Ahmadu Ali, Nigerian politician
- Aishath Ali, Maldivian politician
- Aiyna Ali, Trinidad and Tobago politician
- Anwar Ali, Pakistani economist
- Ayaan Hirsi Ali, writer and politician
- Altab Ali, factory garment worker murdered by three teenagers in a racist attack in East London
- Ayub Ali, Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and educationist
- Ayub Ali Master, British-Bangladeshi social worker and entrepreneur
- Azad Ali, IT worker and civil servant for the HM Treasury
- Azmin Ali, Malaysian politician
- Bakhsh Ali, 18th-century Bengali administrator
- Enam Ali, founder of the British Curry Awards, Spice Business Magazine and Ion TV
- Fatima Ali, Pakistani-American executive chef, restaurateur and television personality
- Hassan Al-Ali (Scouting), former General Secretary of the Kuwait Boy Scouts Association
- Hasan ibn Ali, early Islamic Alid political and religious leader
- Husayn ibn Ali, early Islamic figure
- Hussein bin Ali, King of Hejaz, Arab leader from the Banu Qatadah branch of the Banu Hashim clan
- Idris Ali (politician), Indian politician
- Ilias Ali (Bangladeshi politician), Bangladeshi politician, Organising Secretary of the Bangladesh National Party
- Abul Aziz Muhammad Ismail Ali, Urdu poet and activist
- Jobeda Ali, British social entrepreneur, documentary filmmaker and chief executive of Three Sisters Care
- Kazim Ali, American poet, novelist, essayist, and professor
- Mahbub Ali, Bangladeshi politician and Member of Parliament
- M. A. Yusuff Ali, Indian businessman and billionaire
- Mahmud Ali (statesman), Indian Freedom Movement leader, statesman
- Mir Masoom Ali, Bangladeshi American statistician, Distinguished Professor and author
- Mir Maswood Ali, Canadian statistician and mathematician
- Munsur Ali, British film producer, screenwriter and director
- Mustafa Ali, Malaysian politician
- Muhammad Shamsi Ali, Indonesian-American Muslim scholar
- Siraj Ali, British Bangladeshi restaurateur and philanthropist
- Nasim Ali, UK Labour Party politician, councillor and former Mayor of Camden
- Noble Drew Ali, founder of the Moorish Science Temple of America
- Ragib Ali, Bangladeshi industrialist, pioneer tea-planter, educationalist, philanthropist and banker
- Rushanara Ali, British politician
- Sabahattin Ali, Turkish novelist and journalist
- Saeed Abu Ali, Palestinian politician and jurist
- Safiye Ali, Turkish physician
- Saleem Ali, Pakistani-American scholar
- Salim Ali, Indian ornithologist and naturalist
- Samina Ali, Indian-American author and activist
- Shah Muhammad Ibrahim Ali, Bengali poet and Islamic scholar
- Sonni Ali, first king of the West African Songhai empire
- Syed Mohammad Ali, Bangladeshi journalist, founder of Bangladesh The Daily Star
- Syed Mohsin Ali, Bangladeshi politician, Minister of Social Welfare
- Syed Mujtaba Ali, Indo-Bangladeshi author, journalist, travel enthusiast, academician, scholar and linguist
- Sheikh Razzak Ali, Bangladeshi author, journalist and politician
- Takis Mehmet Ali, German politician
- Yashar Ali, American journalist with Iranian ancestry
- Zahid Ali, Norwegian stand-up comedian
- Zaynab bint Ali, eldest daughter of Fatima and Ali ibn Abi Talib
- Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, 2nd president of Tunisia
Derived names
Male
Female
Umm Ali
- Umm Ali Jijak, mother of Abbasid caliph al-Muktafi
Mononyms
Stage name or pseudonym
- Ali (actor), Telugu comedian and TV presenter
- Ali (French rapper), French rapper of Moroccan origin
- Ali (graffiti artist), American artist and musician
- Ali (American rapper), aka Ali Jones, American rapper
- Ali (South Korean singer), South Korean singer
- Ali (wrestler), ring name of Pakistani-American professional wrestler Adeel Alam
- Ali B, Dutch rapper
- Ali B (DJ), British DJ
- Ali Bongo (magician), stage name of British comedy magician William Wallace
- Ali G, stage persona used by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen
- Ali Hassan (actor), Indian television actor
- Ali Official, British-Bangladeshi comedian
- Big Ali, American rapper and DJ
Fictional characters
- Ali (character), a Chinese cartoon character
- Ali (House), a character in the television series House
- Ali Baba, a character in the folk tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
- Ali Bombay, a character in the television series M.A.S.K.
- Ali Osman, a character in the soap opera EastEnders
- Ali Al-Saachez, a character in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam 00
- Ali Mills, a character from the film The Karate Kid (1984)