Comments for ALI:

The Arabic name "Ali" is only [misprounounced] ah-LEE by Americans and African-Americans who are most familiar with it from Cassius Clay, who although he took it as his surname did not pronounce it correctly himself. Neither should it be pronounced AH-lee. The name in arabic is pronounced 'A-lee, with the "A" preceded by a glottal stop and pronounced like the short "a" in "cat", and the second syllable "-lee" unaccented and equally short.

-- withoutshore  3/29/2005

The Shi'a are not actually people who followed 'Ali in his lifetime - no such group existed; ALL living muslims followed 'Ali (as khalifa) in his lifetime. The Shi'a are a sect who developed ideas and beliefs about the spiritual stature and political leadership of 'Ali and his family AFTER his death and who separated from traditional Islam at that point.

-- withoutshore  3/29/2005

I love the name Ali! It's such a bouncy, fun name! Ali can also be short for Alison.

-- Salmonarmgirl  12/3/2005

Actress Ali (born Alice) MacGraw is a famous bearer.

-- Anonymous User  12/21/2005

A famous bearer is one of Saddam's henchmen: Ali Hassan al-Majid. Commonly known as Chemical Ali or the Butcher of Kurdistan.

-- Anonymous User  1/24/2006

Ali can also be a nickname for Alicia. I have a friend who uses it this way.

-- Anonymous User  2/11/2006

Famous bearer is Ali Landry, a gorgeous actress/model which means a name can be feminine as well. Ali Landry was also Miss USA 1996.

-- audreyhubley  8/5/2006

Also can be short for Alistair.

-- princeton-girl18  9/15/2006

The name Ali can also be used as a girl's name, pronounced like Ally.

-- hippy_of_purple  9/16/2006

It's pronounced UL-LEE not ALLY.

-- Anonymous User  12/6/2006

I know many Alexandras, Alexandrias, and Allisons that use this as a nickname, to sound similar to Ally.

-- Anonymous User  12/29/2006

A female Ali is the young girl in the Doctor Who book, Nightmare of Black Island (2006). It's really good, Ali's a lot like me!

-- DontDissMadison  5/1/2007

Extremely minor Harry Potter character - Ali Bashir, who tried to smuggle flying carpets into Britain.

Also, Disney movie Aladdin?

-- Anonymous User  5/6/2007

Ali is not just a boy name because I am a girl and that is my nickname. In fact I do not know any boy that has that nickname! They always go with Alex!

-- Anonymous User  7/21/2007

It seems that whenever Westerns need a Muslim name for something or the other, they always choose Ali, which is only pronounced ah-LEE and never AH-lee.

-- Rama  8/27/2007

This sounds too much like "Ah-lee". Like Mohammad Ali, or however you spell his name, I wouldn't use this for my daughter.

-- Patricia Underwood  2/6/2008

Also, Ali is the middle daughter of country-singer Alan Jackson and his wife Denise Jackson.

-- Patricia Underwood  2/16/2008

Ali Hewson, the founder of EDUN and Bono's wife. She's really looking good for her age!

-- Anonymous User  6/4/2008

It isn't pronounced uh li as in the boxer but more of an o sound. It should sound like Ollie. Like the nickname for Oliver.

-- Anonymous User  8/16/2008

Ali is a relative of Muhammad. He was killed by Muawiyah.

-- ec101895  10/30/2008

Ali means something high, and something really inspiring. People named Ali are usually very loving and have very big hearts. Usually they're very courageous, dignified and independent thinkers who follow their own path.

-- Anonymous User  1/28/2009

It can also be pronounced A-LEE in African. And is used as a feminine name.

-- lili  2/1/2009

It is also of African origin. Used in West, Central and South Africa as a female name pronounced A-LEE.

-- lili  2/1/2009

Ali May Michel an Actress/Dancer/Writer/Musician. She is known as Ms. Entertainment. She is Nigerian/South African/African-American. She pronounces it A-LEE which is African meaning noble, sublime, elevated, exalted. It is a popular female name in West and South Africa.

-- lili  2/1/2009

Ali is the father of Hassan in the book The Kite Runner.

-- bibi66  2/7/2009

In the case of Ali Larter, it is a short form of Alison.

-- CharlotteCaldron  2/11/2009

I pronounce it just like Allie, but I'm a girl, and my name's Allison. I used to spell my nickname Allie, but there was a girl I knew who I didn't like who spelled her name and nickname the same way, so I took to spelling it Ali.

-- Aloicious  7/28/2009

My sister is named Ali. It's not short for Alice or Alison it's just Ali. Al-EE. I know a girl named Alexandria that goes by Ali, and an Alison. I don't know any guys named that.

-- Ranchie  10/9/2009

The name actually originates in Ethiopia. In Amharic it means noble, sublime, elevated, exalted. It then reached the middle east and other countries later on.

-- Anonymous User  10/14/2009

Pronounced Ah-lee. It comes from the ancient Ethiopian and ge'ez word for god which was al-la-ha (Allaha).

-- lili  10/14/2009

Key: Meaning/History Usage Pronunciation Famous Bearer Personal Impression Other

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