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Ali

A name with a place in Islamic history. Ali has a close historical connection to Muhammad’s family: Ali ibn Abi Talib was his cousin and son-in-law, and an early Muslim caliph. That association may matter alongside the sound of the name.1

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Lofty or exalted

In Arabic, Ali (عليّ) means “lofty” or “exalted”. It comes from a root meaning “to be high”.234

Alia and Aliya

Alia and Aliya are related Arabic feminine forms. They offer a way to explore the same name family when you are considering a girl’s name.

  • AliaAlia is a feminine form of Ali.
  • AliyaAliya is a feminine form of Ali.

Sources

  1. ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib — The Institute of Ismaili Studies, iis.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
  2. عَلِىٌّ — Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon, laneslexicon.com (opens in a new tab)
  3. العلي — Cairo Arabic Language Academy, al-Wasīṭ, arabicacademy.gov.eg (opens in a new tab)
  4. عَلَا — Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon, laneslexicon.com (opens in a new tab)

Researched from sources and checked in a separate review. We list reference works, not other baby-name websites. Last revised 4 October 2026.

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