NameRealm
Eli

Eli: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“ascended, uplifted; or my God”
Origin
Hebrew
Say it
EE-lye · 2 syllables
Used for
Boys

Biblical Hebrew name borne by the priest Eli in the Old Testament. It is commonly explained as 'ascended' or 'uplifted,' though it can also be linked with Hebrew elements meaning 'my God'.

Hebrew namesEnglish namesNames meaning faithBiblical namesShort namesInternational names

How popular is Eli?

20241,132 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Eli in 20243,767

2024 rank#92 boys

Peak year2012

Total US babies since 1880150,972

Eli is fading: recent use is about 67% of its level ten years before.

Names like Eli

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • Noahrest; comfort · Hebrew
  • Jamessupplanter · Hebrew
  • Elijahmy God is Yahweh · Hebrew
  • JohnYahweh is gracious · Hebrew
  • Michaelwho is like God? · Hebrew
  • Benjaminson of the right hand · Hebrew
  • Levijoined, attached · Hebrew
  • DanielGod is my judge · Hebrew

Eli questions

What does the name Eli mean?

Eli means "ascended, uplifted; or my God". It comes from Hebrew. Biblical Hebrew name borne by the priest Eli in the Old Testament. It is commonly explained as 'ascended' or 'uplifted,' though it can also be linked with Hebrew elements meaning 'my God'.

Is Eli a boy or girl name?

Eli is mainly a boy's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Eli?

3,767 US babies were named Eli in 2024. Its peak year was 2012.

How do you pronounce Eli?

Eli is usually pronounced EE-lye.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.