Eli

Eli meaning

Eli is an international and Christian boy's name of Hebrew origin.

Lofty, high; from a verb meaning "to go up"

Also used to mean: ascended, my God

Eli is the Hebrew name ʿĒlî, which Strong's Concordance (H5941) explains as "lofty", from the verb ʿālâ, "to go up". In the First Book of Samuel, Eli is the priest at the sanctuary of Shiloh who blesses Hannah and brings up her son Samuel, teaching the boy to answer when God calls him. Name lists sometimes say "my God", but that is a different Hebrew word, ʾēlî, heard in Jesus's cry on the cross, "Eli, Eli". Today Eli is also used as a short form of Elijah, Elias and Elliot. It is short, gentle and easy to say in any Indian language.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), Hebrew, H5941 · entry עֵלִי ʿĒlî · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026

References: Strong's H5941, Eli (Bible Hub) · Online Etymology Dictionary, Eli

Famous namesakes

• Eli, priest of Shiloh and teacher of Samuel (1 Samuel 1-4)

Popularity abroad

• #104 United States, boys 2025 (down 12 from 92 in 2024)
  US Social Security Administration
• #137 England and Wales, boys 2025
  Office for National Statistics

Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.

Spellings

Eli · Ely

Related names

More names of Hebrew origin

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