Ali (name)
Encyclopedia
Ali is a male Arabic name
, derived from the Arabic root which literally means "high". It is a common name in Arab
ic countries and the rest of the Muslim world
.
Islamic traditional use of the name goes back to Ali ibn Abu Talib
, the Islamic leader and cousin of Muhammad
, but the name is identical in form and meaning to the , Eli, which goes back to the Eli in the Books of Samuel
.
The name Ali can arise away from Islam
; among English-speakers as short for male and female names starting with "Al-", or the Old Norse
man's name Áli
.
Arabic name
Long ago, Arabic names were based on a long naming system; most Arabs did not simply have given/middle/family names, but a full chain of names. This system was in use throughout the Arab world. Today however, Arabic names are similar in structure to those of Modern and Western names...
, derived from the Arabic root which literally means "high". It is a common name in Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
ic countries and the rest of the Muslim world
Muslim world
The term Muslim world has several meanings. In a religious sense, it refers to those who adhere to the teachings of Islam, referred to as Muslims. In a cultural sense, it refers to Islamic civilization, inclusive of non-Muslims living in that civilization...
.
Islamic traditional use of the name goes back to Ali ibn Abu Talib
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
, the Islamic leader and cousin of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, but the name is identical in form and meaning to the , Eli, which goes back to the Eli in the Books of Samuel
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
.
The name Ali can arise away from Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
; among English-speakers as short for male and female names starting with "Al-", or the Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
man's name Áli
Onela
Onela was according to Beowulf a Swedish king, the son of Ongentheow and the brother of Ohthere. He usurped the Swedish throne, but was killed by his nephew Eadgils, who won by hiring foreign assistance....
.
Males
- Ali AkdemirAli AkdemirAli Akdemir is a Turkish University Professor for Management and former Rector of the Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University . He is the former Dean of the Biga Faculty Of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University...
, Turkish scientist - al-'Ali (The Sublimely Exalted), one of the 99 names of Allah
- Ali al-AbdallahAli al-AbdallahAli al-Abdallah is a Syrian writer and human rights activist.He was arrested in Syria in March 2006. He was again arrested and jailed during 2007 after trying to revive the Damascus Declaration, a rights movement named after a 2005 document that demanded that bans on freedom of speech and assembly...
, Syrian writer and human rights activist - Ali AnnabiAli AnnabiAli Annabi is a Tunisian Olympic fencer. He competed in the individual sabre and épée events at the 1960 Summer Olympics.-References:...
, Tunisian fencer - Ali BabacanAli BabacanAli Babacan is a Turkish politician and the current Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey responsible for the Economy. He was previously Minister of Economy in the 58th cabinet from the Justice and Development Party . On August 29, 2007, he was named Minister of Foreign Affairs of in the cabinet of...
, Turkish politician - Ali BacherAli BacherAron "Ali" Bacher is a former South African Test cricketer and an administrator of the United Cricket Board of South Africa.-Biography:...
, South African cricket batsman & administrator - Ali Kemal BeyAli Kemal BeyAli Kemal Bey was a liberal Ottoman journalist, newspaper editor and poet who was briefly Minister of the Interior in the government of Damat Ferid Pasha, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. He was murdered during the Turkish War of Independence...
, Turkish journalist, newspaper editor and poet - Ali BozerAli BozerAli Husrev Bozer is a Turkish politician and academic of commercial law.-Biography:A member of the Motherland Party , he served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Turgut Özal's and Yıldırım Akbulut's cabinets and was Minister of Foreign Affairs.Additionally, he has a grand daughter named Esra...
, Turkish politician - Ali ÇetinkayaAli ÇetinkayaAli Çetinkaya, also known as "Kel" Ali Bey was an Ottoman Army officer and Turkish politician who served eight terms in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, including a period in 1939–40 as his country's first Minister of Transport.He was born in Kara Hisâr-i Sâhib as a son of Ahmed Efendi...
, Turkish Army officer - Ali DaeiAli DaeiAli Daei is an Iranian retired football player and former national team coach who currently manages a local Iranian team, Rah Ahan. He is a former captain of the Iran national football team, and is the world's all-time leading goalscorer in international matches...
(born 1969), Iranian footballer - Ali al-DandachiAli al-DandachiAli al-Dandachi is a Syrian who served as the vice president of the Boy Scouts de Syrie. Dandachi also served on the International Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement from 1951 to 1957...
, Syrian scout leader - Ali DemićAli DemićAli Demić is a Bosnian basketball player.- References :**...
, Bosnian basketball player - Ali DizaeiAli DizaeiJamshid Ali Dizaei is a Commander in London's Metropolitan Police Service. Iranian-born with dual nationality, and formerly one of Britain's most senior Muslim police officers, he came to prominence as a result of his outspoken views on racial discrimination in the London Metropolitan Police and...
(born 1962), Anglo-Iranian police officer and criminal - Ali Džabič (1853-1918), Bosnian muftiMuftiA mufti is a Sunni Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law . In religious administrative terms, a mufti is roughly equivalent to a deacon to a Sunni population...
- Ali EraslanAli EraslanAli Eraslan is a Turkish producer, actor, playwright, screenwriter, singer, cameraman, editor, director and broadcaster.After studying at the Journalism and Public Relations Faculty in Istanbul, Eraslan worked in many lines of media and broadcasting industry...
, Turkish actor - Ali ErdemirAli ErdemirAli Erdemir, born in Kadirli, Adana, Turkey, is a Turkish materials scientist specializing in surface engineering and tribology.He graduated from the Metallurgy Department of the Istanbul Technical University in 1977. After working for two years at the İskenderun Iron and Steel Company in Turkey as...
, Turkish scientist - Ali FadelAli FadelAli Fadel al-Misir is an Iraqi politician who was the Governor of Baghdad Province from December 2004 to January 2005.Mr Fadel is a Shia Muslim. In 1980, he was selected to represent Iraq on the national Olympic soccer team...
, Iraqi politician - Ali GüneşAli GünesAli Mehmet Güneş is a Turkish international footballer. Güneş is currently unattached, having last played for Bucaspor in the Süper Lig.-Career:...
, Turkish footballer - Ali Hassan al-MajidAli Hassan al-MajidAli Hassan Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti , , was a Ba'athist Iraqi Defense Minister, Interior Minister, military commander and chief of the Iraqi Intelligence Service...
(1941-2010), Iraqi politician and mass murderer - 'Ali ibn Husayn (Zayn al-Abidin), fourth infallibleIsmah‘Iṣmah or ‘Isma is the concept of infallibility or "divinely bestowed freedom from error and sin" in Islam. Muslims believe that Muhammad and other prophets in Islam possessed ‘iṣmah. Twelver and Ismaili Shia Muslims also attribute the quality to Imāms and Fatima Zahra, daughter of Muhammad...
imam in Shi'a thought, grandson of Ali ibn Abi Talib - Ali JarbawiAli JarbawiAli Jarbawi is the current Minister of Planning and Administrative Development of the Government of the Palestinian National Authority.. Prior to this appointment he worked in government as a special adviser to the Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and supervised the preparation of the Palestinian...
, Palestinian politician - Ali KhademhosseiniAli KhademhosseiniAli Khademhosseini is an Iranian-Canadian academic and an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. He is internationally known for his research in the area of biomedical...
(born 1975), Iranian-Canadian bioengineer - Ali KhameneiAli KhameneiAyatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
, Supreme Leader of Iran - Ali KordanAli KordanAli Kordan was an Iranian conservative politician who served in the Revolutionary Guards, the judiciary and as deputy oil minister, before becoming interior minister of Iran in 2008 for just 90 days...
(1958-2009), Iranian politician - Ali ibn Abbas al-MajusiAli ibn Abbas al-MajusiAli ibn al-'Abbas al-Majusi , also known as Masoudi, or Latinized as Haly Abbas, was a Persian physician and psychologist most famous for the Kitab al-Maliki or Complete Book of the Medical Art, his textbook on medicine and psychology.-Biography:He was born in Ahvaz, southwestern Persia, and...
, 11th century physician - Ali MarwiAli MarwiAli Marwi is a former Kuwaiti footballer. He prominently played during the early to late 1990s with the Kuwaiti national football team as a forward. He spent most of his career with Kuwait giants, Al-Salmiya.-Career:...
, Kuwaiti footballer - 'Ali ibn MuhammadAli al-Hadi‘Alī al-Hādī , also known as ‘Alī an-Naqī was the tenth of the Twelve Imams. His full name is ‘Alī ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Alī. The exact date of his birth and death are unknown, but it is generally accepted that he was born between 827–830 CE and he died in 868 CE.- Early years :‘Alī al-Hādī was born...
(al-Hadi), tenth infallible imam in Twelver Shi'a thought only - 'Ali ibn Musa (ar-Reza), eighth infallible imam in Twelver Shi'a thought only
- Ali NuhićAli NuhićAli Nuhić is a German-born Bosnian footballer who plays as a striker for German club SVN Zweibrücken.- External links :**...
, German-born Bosnian footballer - Ali ÖlmezAli ÖlmezAli Ölmez is a Turkish footballer. He currently plays as a winger for Adana Demirspor in the Iddaa League B, on loan from Ankaragücü.-References:...
, Turkish footballer - Ali Omari, Afghan footballer
- Ali ÖzgentürkAli ÖzgentürkAli Özgentürk is a renowned Turkish film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was born in 1947 in Adana, Turkey. After studying philosophy and sociology at Istanbul University, he became involved in theater, as an actor, director, and playwright. He founded Istanbul's first street theater...
, Turkish film director - Ali QansoAli QansoAli Khalil Qanso , or Kanso, was born in 1948 in Doueir, Lebanon. He is a pro-Syrian Shiite Muslim. He received a degree in Arabic literature from the Lebanese University in 1969....
, Lebanese politician - Ali ibn RidwanAli ibn RidwanAbu'l Hasan Ali ibn Ridwan Al-Misri was an Egyptian Muslim physician, astrologer and astronomer, born in Giza.He was a commentator on ancient Greek medicine, and in particular on Galen; his commentary on Galen's Ars Parva was translated by Gerardo Cremonese...
, 11th century astrologer - Ali SabancıAli SabanciAli İhsan Sabancı , a member of the renowned Sabancı family in third generation, is a Turkish businessman.-Biography:Ali was born 1969 in Adana, Turkey as the second child and youngest son of Şevket Sabancı . Between 1987 and 1991, he was educated in political science and economics at Tufts...
, Turkish businessman - Ali SaleemAli SaleemAli Saleem , best known by his alter-ego Begum Nawazish Ali, is a Pakistani television host, actor, scriptwriter and impressionist...
, Pakistani television host - Ali SalemAli SalemAli Ahmed Salem Al-Yazidi is an athlete from Qatar, who competes in archery.-2008 Summer Olympics:At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing Salem finished his ranking round with a total of 627 points, which gave him the 57th seed for the final competition bracket in which he faced Im Dong-Hyun in the...
, Egyptian playwright - Ali ibn Sahl Rabban al-TabariAli ibn Sahl Rabban al-TabariAbu al-Hasan Ali ibn Sahl Rabban al-Tabari also given as 810-855 and 783-858 was a Persian Muslim hakim, Islamic scholar, physician and psychologist of Zoroastrian descent, who produced one of the first encyclopedia of medicine. He was a pioneer of pediatrics and the field of child development...
- Ali ShayeganAli ShayeganDr. Ali Shayegan , was an opponent of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and lived in political exile in New York and New Jersey from 1958. Dr...
(1903-1981), Iranian politician - 'Ali ibn Abi TalibAli' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
, cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic Prophet - Ali TandoğanAli TandoganAli Tandoğan is a Turkish footballer. He currently plays for the club Antalyaspor.He is the former player of Denizlispor and Gençlerbirligi, in his present club he plays as a full back and also attacking right winger...
, Turkish footballer - Ali TuranAli TuranAli Turan is a Turkish footballer who plays for Antalyaspor.-Club career:Turan began his professional career with Kayserispor, and went on loan to Kayseri Erciyesspor during the 2006–07 Super Lig season. He was one of the young players of Kayserispor whom former coach Ertuğrul Sağlam trusted and...
, Turkish footballer - Ali TürkanAli TürkanAli Türkan Ali Türkan Ali Türkan (born August 1, 1987 in Boğazlıyan, Yozgat, Turkey is a Turkish football player. He currently plays Goalkeeper for Kayseri Erciyesspor in the TFF First League.-References:...
, Turkish footballer - Ali WilliamsAli WilliamsAlexander James "Ali" Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player at the position of lock. He represented Auckland and plays for the Blues in the Super 14, when he signed for the Tasman provincial side. In 2008, he played for the Crusaders in the Super 14 and in 2010 signed on loan for Nottingham...
(born 1981), New Zealand rugby union player - Ali Nihat YazıcıAli Nihat YaziciAli Nihat Yazıcı is the head of Turkish Chess Federation.After graduating from Istanbul Technical University as an electronics and communication engineer in 1987, Yazıcı worked for the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation as an engineer. He got an MBA on Business from Middle East Technical...
, Turkish Chess official - Ali I of YejjuAli I of YejjuAli I of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder, and following the death of Ras Mikael Sehul, Regent of the Emperor of Ethiopia. He was the son of Abba Seru Gwangul, chieftain of the Yejju Oromo, and Gelebu Faras....
(died 1788), Ethiopian leader - Ali II of YejjuAli II of YejjuAli II of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder and Enderase of the Emperor of Ethiopia. He was the son of Alula of Yejju, sometime governor of Damot and then of Gojjam, and Menen Liben Amede, later Empress of Ethiopia, and grandson of Gugsa of Yejju, by his fourth wife, Amata Selassie, daughter of Emperor...
(c. 1819–c. 1866), Ethiopian leader - Lotf Ali KhanLotf Ali KhanLutf or Lotf Ali Khan was the last Shah of Persia of the Zand dynasty.Lotf Ali Khan Zand came to power after a decade of infighting among a succession of violent and inept Zand chiefs following the death in 1779 of the dynasty's founder, Karim Khan Zand...
, last Shah of Persia
Females
- Ali KriegerAli KriegerAlexandra Blaire "Ali" Krieger is an American soccer player currently playing for 1. FFC Frankfurt of the Frauen-Bundesliga and is a member of the United States Women's National Soccer Team.-Youth and High School:...
(born 1984), American soccer player - Ali LandryAli LandryAli Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
(born 1973), American model and actress - Ali LarterAli LarterAlison Elizabeth "Ali" Larter is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the dual roles of Niki Sanders and Jessica Sanders on the NBC science fiction drama Heroes as well as her guest roles on several television shows in the 1990s.Larter's screen debut came in the 1999 film...
(born 1976), American actress - Ali MacGrawAli MacGrawElizabeth Alice "Ali" MacGraw is an American actress. She is known for her role in Love Story, for which she won a Golden Globe and received an Academy Award nomination.-Early life:...
(born 1939), American actress - Ali Riley (born 1987), American-born New Zealand soccer player
Surname
- Aamir AliAamir AliAamir Ali Malik is an Indian television actor.-Early life and Background:Aamir Ali was born on September 1, 1977 in Mumbai, Maharashtra to an Ismaili Muslim father and mother from Mumbai, India....
, Indian television actor - Abdulaziz AliAbdulaziz AliAbdulaziz Ali is a Qatari footballer. He currently plays as a goalkeeper for Al-Gharrafa in Doha.Ali is also a member of the Qatar national football team.-External links:*...
, Qatari footballer - Ahmed AliAhmed AliAhmed Ali was an Indian novelist, poet, critic, translator, diplomat and scholar, who was responsible for writing Twilight in Delhi. Born in Delhi, India, he was involved in progressive literary movements as a young man...
, Pakistani writer - AliAli (actor)Ali is a South Indian actor who has acted in more than 800 films in Telugu, Tamil and Bollywood film industries. He is a regular actor in Puri Jagannadh's movies and pawan kalyan's movies...
(born 1962), an Indian film actor who works in Tollywood - Ayaan Hirsi AliAyaan Hirsi AliAyaan Hirsi Magan Ali is a Somali-Dutch feminist and atheist activist, writer, politician who strongly opposes circumcision and female genital cutting. She is the daughter of the Somali politician and opposition leader Hirsi Magan Isse and is a founder of the women's rights organisation the AHA...
, Dutch feminist, writer, and politician - Begum Nawazish AliAli SaleemAli Saleem , best known by his alter-ego Begum Nawazish Ali, is a Pakistani television host, actor, scriptwriter and impressionist...
, Pakistani television host - Filiz AliFiliz AliFiliz Ali is a Turkish pianist and musicologist.She studied piano at the State Conservatory of Music in Ankara. Graduating from Ferhunde Erkin's class in 1958, she received a Fulbright scholarship to study in the United States...
, Turkish pianist - Laila AliLaila AliLaila Amaria Ali is a retired American professional boxer. She is the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali from his third wife Veronica Porsche Ali.-Boxing career:...
, female boxer and daughter of Muhammad Ali - Meral Yıldız AliMeral Yıldız AliMeral Yıldız Ali is a Romanian-Turkish female table tennis player.She plays for Fenerbahçe TT since 2007 and also played for Constanta TT in Romania and Eskişehir Anadolu University in Turkey.-Major achievements:...
, Romanian-Turkish female table tennis player - Muhammad AliMuhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
(born 1942), American boxer - Rashied AliRashied AliRashied Ali, born Robert Patterson was an American free jazz and avant-garde jazz drummer best known for playing with John Coltrane in the last years of Coltrane's life.-Biography:...
(1935-2009), American drummer - Rushanara AliRushanara AliRushanara Ali is a British Labour Party politician and Associate Director of the Young Foundation, who has been the Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow since 2010...
, British politician - Sabahattin AliSabahattin AliSabahattin Ali was a Turkish novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist.-Early life:He was born in 1907 in Eğridere township in Gümülcine sanjak , in the Ottoman Empire. He lived in Istanbul, Çanakkale and Edremit before he entered the school of education in Balıkesir...
, Turkish novelist - Safiye AliSafiye AliSafiye Ali was the first Turkish woman to become a medical doctor. She treated the soldiers in the Turkish War of Independence, the Balkan Wars, and in World War I. She studied medicine in Germany in 1916, and opened her office in Istanbul in 1922....
, Turkish physician - Saleem AliSaleem AliDr. Prof. Saleem H. Ali is a Pakistani American scholar who is Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont's Rubenstein School of Natural Resources, and the director of the Institute for Environmental Diplomacy and Security...
, Pakistani American scholar - Somy AliSomy AliSomy Ali is a former Bollywood actress and current model and journalist. She has her own clothing line, So-Me Designs apart from running a non profit organization, No More Tears...
, Bollywood actress - Sonni AliSonni AliSonni Ali, also known as Sunni Ali Ber or "Sunni Ali", was born Ali Kolon. He reigned from about 1464 to 1492. Sunni Ali was the first king of the Songhai Empire, located in west Africa and the 15th ruler of the Sonni dynasty...
, first king of the West African Songhai empire - Tatyana AliTatyana AliTatyana Marisol Ali is an American actress and R&B singer, best known for her childhood role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...
, American actress and singer
Male
- Abdul Ali
- Ali Akbar
- Ali Naqi
- Ali RezaAli RezaAli Reza is a masculine given name. Ali ar-Ridha was the seventh descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and therefore, the name and its variant transliterations are common throughout the Muslim world.-People:* Alireza Akbarpour, Iranian footballer* Ali-Reza Asgari, Iranian general* Alireza...
- Barkat Ali
- Mehmet AliMehmet AliMehmet Ali or Mehemet Ali is a Turkish given name for males. People with the name include:* Memet Ali Alabora, Turkish actor* Mehmet Ali Ağca, Turkish assassin* Mehmet Ali Aybar, Turkish sprinter* Mehmet Ali Birand, Turkish journalist...
- Muhammad AliMuhammad Ali (disambiguation)Muhammad Ali is a retired American boxerMuhammad Ali may also refer to:-Literature:* Mohammed Naseehu Ali, author* Muhammad Ali Siddiqui , Pakistani critic and journalist-Music:...
- Yusuf Ali
Fictional characters
- Ali BabaAli BabaAli Baba is a fictional character from medieval Arabic literature. He is described in the adventure tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves...
, character described in the adventure tale of "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" - Ali GAli GAli G is a satirical fictional character invented and performed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Originally appearing on Channel 4's Eleven O'Clock show, Ali G is the title character of Channel 4's Da Ali G Show, original episodes of which aired in 2000 and on HBO in 2003–2004, and is the...
, satirical character played by Sacha Baron Cohen - Ali Al-Saachez, character in the anime Gundam 00, one of the main antagonists of the show
- Steve, character described as Ali Bongo in the British comedy show Little BritainLittle BritainLittle Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
.
See also
- Arabic nameArabic nameLong ago, Arabic names were based on a long naming system; most Arabs did not simply have given/middle/family names, but a full chain of names. This system was in use throughout the Arab world. Today however, Arabic names are similar in structure to those of Modern and Western names...
- Turkish nameTurkish nameA Turkish name consists of an ad and a soyadı . Turkish names exist in a "full name" format. While there is only one soyadı in the full name, there may be more than one ad...
- Alli (disambiguation)
- AllieAllieAllie is a unisex given name. It is a pet form of names beginning with Al. It can refer to:* Allie Reynolds , an American major league baseball pitcher...
- Ally (disambiguation)
- AlleyAlleyAn alley or alleyway is a narrow lane found in urban areas, often for pedestrians only, which usually runs between or behind buildings. In older cities and towns in Europe, alleys are often what is left of a medieval street network, or a right of way or ancient footpath in an urban setting...