Eli is originally Hebrew in origin. He’s derived from aly, a name of Hebrew roots meaning “height or high”.
The name Eli is recorded in the Bible. In the old testament book, Eli is said to have served as the high priest as well as the last Israelite judge right before Judah and Israel were ruled by Kings.
In America, Eli is quite popular, having maintained a spot on the list of the most favored 1000 boy names for over a century – although only in moderate usage at best.
His best years came in the 1990s, and he’s been climbing the naming graphs ever since. In slightly more than 10 years, Eli advanced over 250 positions to claim top 100 status in 2008.
Today, Eli does not appear to back down. He has managed to earn a coveted spot on the top 50 list, ranking #41 in popularity in 2021.