Eli is a distinctive girls' name in United States, ranking #4099 in 2025 with 35 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2024 with 44 births ranking #3515. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 337.5%. In 2025, approximately 1 in every 45,922 girls born was named Eli. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Eli is a compact Hebrew biblical name with more than one layer of meaning in tradition, including ideas of height and divine connection. Its simplicity has made it one of the strongest short biblical names in modern use.
The name appears directly in the Bible and also works as a short form for names like Elijah and Elias. That dual role has helped it become both ancient and very contemporary at once.