Is Eli a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Eli is commonly used as a Boy name.

It’s currently ranked #91 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

Eli Boy

Popularity: #91 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

Hebrew; English

Meaning

Hebrew: 'ascended' or 'my God'; English: diminutive form

Historical & Cultural Background

Eli is a name of Hebrew origin, commonly found in the Old Testament as the name of a high priest and judge of Israel. It has been used in various cultures, particularly in English-speaking countries. The name has gained popularity in recent years, often associated with a sense of strength and spirituality.

Trend Summary

Eli has seen a steady increase in popularity in the United States over the past two decades.

Variants

Elie
Ely

International Variants

Eli (Hebrew)
Elia (Italian)
Elias (Greek)

Famous people named Eli

Eli Manning is a former professional American football quarterback known for his time with the New York Giants.

Eli Roth is an American filmmaker and actor recognized for his work in the horror genre.

Eli Whitney was an American inventor best known for inventing the cotton gin.

Eli Wallach was an American actor celebrated for his roles in classic films such as 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.'.

Fictional characters named Eli

Eli Voss is a character in the video game 'The Last of Us Part II,' known for his complex narrative.

Eli Gold is a character in the television series 'The Good Wife,' serving as a political consultant.

Sibling Suggestions

Noah Isaac Levi Samuel Aaron Micah

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Eli was first seen in the United States in 1880. Eli has ranked as high as #57 nationally which occurred in 2012 and has been most popular in Texas, California, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania. In the past 5 years the name Eli has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Eli (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	397	11%
CA	390	11%
NY	230	7%
FL	227	6%
GA	130	4%
PA	130	4%
NC	128	4%
IL	127	4%
OH	125	4%
MI	112	3%
TN	104	3%
VA	96	3%
AZ	84	2%
WI	78	2%
IN	73	2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	73
1881	97
1882	94
1883	82
1884	67
1885	56
1886	66
1887	51
1888	75
1889	60
1890	49
1891	49
1892	60
1893	53
1894	60
1895	55
1896	43
1897	39
1898	46
1899	38
1900	45
1901	45
1902	51
1903	47
1904	43
1905	43
1906	44
1907	50
1908	55
1909	60
1910	63
1911	81
1912	159
1913	167
1914	208
1915	269
1916	271
1917	246
1918	286
1919	241
1920	253
1921	291
1922	275
1923	260
1924	247
1925	291
1926	266
1927	224
1928	215
1929	198
1930	190
1931	174
1932	186
1933	157
1934	176
1935	175
1936	161
1937	144
1938	119
1939	110
1940	140
1941	130
1942	130
1943	118
1944	124
1945	125
1946	116
1947	143
1948	137
1949	125
1950	139
1951	142
1952	140
1953	126
1954	135
1955	119
1956	153
1957	129
1958	117
1959	146
1960	149
1961	146
1962	140
1963	139
1964	121
1965	117
1966	117
1967	126
1968	139
1969	129
1970	232
1971	268
1972	264
1973	339
1974	373
1975	338
1976	381
1977	476
1978	441
1979	498
1980	539
1981	550
1982	503
1983	518
1984	507
1985	558
1986	563
1987	550
1988	543
1989	624
1990	667
1991	712
1992	708
1993	877
1994	893
1995	862
1996	891
1997	866
1998	1,016
1999	1,068
2000	1,496
2001	1,644
2002	1,953
2003	1,993
2004	2,550
2005	2,697
2006	2,994
2007	3,250
2008	4,521
2009	4,921
2010	6,570
2011	7,219
2012	8,076
2013	7,949
2014	7,508
2015	7,158
2016	7,129
2017	6,636
2018	6,091
2019	5,535
2020	5,278
2021	4,910
2022	4,702
2023	4,106
2024	3,723