Assalam Alaikum,
I want to name my Sunni muslim son as Ali, Does it have to have a prefix or postfix name as it is one of the name of Allah? Or can it just be Ali and the lastname?
Also it is common name in Sunni and Shia and how much its true that Sunni Muslims do add prefix or postfix to the name and Shia don't.
Please share the meaning.
Jazakallah.
Answer
Alaikumassalaam wa rahmatullah,
There is no need to prefix or postfix anything to Ali, you can use it by itself and a last name. The name of Allah is al-Ali, when you remove the al- from the beginning, it becomes a general adjective that means "high", "sublime".
Ali is common both among the Sunni and the Shiite. I have never heard that Sunnis add anything to the name, I've only seen it used alone by itself (with a last name).
As for the full details of the name Ali, please see this page: Ali
