boy's name
Eli
EE-ly
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 177,334
the United States
#104
2025 births
Eli is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "ascent" or "my God," depending on which Hebrew name it represents. It stands alone as the priest at Shiloh in First Samuel, and also serves as a short form of Elijah, Elisha and Elias.
- Eli is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2012, when 8,110 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 960 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Eli over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 721 |
| 1890s | 492 |
| 1900s | 483 |
| 1910s | 1,997 |
| 1920s | 2,532 |
| 1930s | 1,592 |
| 1940s | 1,288 |
| 1950s | 1,346 |
| 1960s | 1,328 |
| 1970s | 3,652 |
| 1980s | 5,539 |
| 1990s | 8,694 |
| 2000s | 28,259 |
| 2010s | 70,213 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 26,376 |
What Eli means
Eli has two possible meanings. As the biblical priest's own name it comes from a root meaning height or ascent. As a short form of Elijah or Eliezer it carries El, meaning God, giving "my God."
Where Eli comes from
Eli represents two distinct Hebrew names that English spells identically. The priest Eli in First Samuel — who raises the young Samuel and mistakes Hannah's silent prayer for drunkenness — bears a name from a root meaning height or ascent. Separately, Eli functions as a short form of names beginning with El, the Hebrew word for God: Elijah, Elisha, Eliezer, Elias. In those cases the sense is "my God." Because both are live, reference sources list ascent and my God together. Eli entered English use after the Reformation and has risen sharply in recent decades.
Eli in use
Eli is two Hebrew names in one English spelling — one meaning ascent, the other carrying the word for God.
How popular is Eli?
In 2025, Eli was given to 3,453 babies in the United States, ranking #104 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Eli is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Eli is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Éli | Éli is Eli written with an acute accent, used in France, where it ranks #772. | 505 |
Names that peaked alongside Eli
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Eli also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Eli over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Eli in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Eli
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Eli — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Eli
What does the name Eli mean?
Either "ascent," as the priest's own name, or "my God" when it shortens Elijah or Eliezer.
Is Eli short for Elijah?
It works as one, but Eli is also a separate biblical name in its own right.
Who was Eli in the Bible?
The priest at Shiloh who raised the young Samuel, in First Samuel.
How popular is the name Eli?
In 2025, Eli was given to 3,453 babies in the United States, ranking #104 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Eli a girl's or a boy's name?
Eli is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Eli?
Eli has 2 syllables.
When was Eli most popular?
Eli peaked in 2012, when 8,110 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Eli a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Eli currently ranks #69 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.