Eli
Meaning of Eli
Eli, ultimately traced to the Hebrew עֵלִי (‘Ēlī) and typically interpreted as “lofty” or, in possessive constructions, “my God,” carries the dual legacy of scripture and secular Americana; the biblical high-priest of Shiloh furnishes a venerable point of origin, while later Anglophone history disseminated the name through Puritan usage, the Yale collegiate sobriquet “Old Eli,” and public figures such as quarterback Eli Manning. Pronounced EE-lie, the monosyllabic form lends itself to succinct modern styling, yet it also functions as a diminutive for Elijah, Elias, or Elisha, thereby spanning both stand-alone and compound traditions. United States vital-statistics data portray a sustained ascent from peripheral status in the 1970s to a high-water rank of 43 in 2012–2013; although modest regression has ensued, the name remains securely within the national Top 100 (rank 91 in 2024), suggesting durable mainstream acceptance rather than transient fashion. This blend of ancient resonance, cross-denominational adaptability, and contemporary familiarity positions Eli as a concise, historically grounded choice for parents seeking a name that bridges biblical gravitas and present-day ease.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as EE-lie (/ˈiːlaɪ/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Eli
| Eli Manning - Elisha Nelson Manning is an American former quarterback from the Manning family who won the Maxwell and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards at Ole Miss, was drafted first overall in 2004, and played 16 seasons with the New York Giants after a draft day trade. |
| Eli Lilly Jr. was an American pharmaceutical industrialist and philanthropist who led Eli Lilly and Company and helped make it a modern industry leader. |
| Eli Lilly was a Union Army officer turned pharmacist, chemist, and businessman who founded Eli Lilly and Company. |
| Eli Roth is an American filmmaker and actor best known for directing and producing horror splatter films like Cabin Fever and Hostel. |
| Eli Broad was an American businessman and philanthropist, a Forbes-ranked billionaire who championed K-12 charter school reform and generously supported science, medicine, and the arts. |
| Eli Whitney Jr., inventor of the cotton gin, reshaped the cotton economy and bolstered slavery, lost profits in patent suits, and later made muskets for the U.S. Army until his death in 1825. |
| Kentucky-born Eli P. Farmer was a Methodist circuit rider on the Indiana frontier who later became a Bloomington farmer, editor, businessman, and state senator, and he served as a militia captain in the War of 1812 and as a Civil War chaplain. |
| Eli Cohen - Eliyahu Ben Shaul Cohen was an Egyptian born Israeli spy who operated in Syria from 1961 to 1965 and developed close ties with its political and military leaders. |
| Eli Ostreicher was a British-born American entrepreneur in New York, founder and CEO of GTTFP Holdings, which topped the Inc. 500 and grew from luxury air travel into 11 brands including Regal Wings, The Regal Card, and Regal Jets. |
| Eli Tomac is an American Motocross and Supercross star, a multi-time AMA champion who ranks second all-time in 450 Supercross wins and third in 450 Motocross wins. |
