Eli
Hebrew, read as “ascent” or “height,” the priest who raised Samuel; also a short form of Elijah.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Eli appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in every year from 2008 to 2024. Its biggest year was 2012, when 8,079 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 43 nationally. In 2025 it ranked No. 104 for boys. All told, 154,512 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Ellie (106,857), Eloy (8,325), Ely (5,087), Elly (4,595), Elie (3,405), Elli (2,798) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: Samuel, Elijah
Explore Eli interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 721 | No. 121 |
| 1890s | 492 | No. 218 |
| 1900s | 483 | No. 255 |
| 1910s | 1,991 | No. 283 |
| 1920s | 2,520 | No. 341 |
| 1930s | 1,592 | No. 411 |
| 1940s | 1,288 | No. 487 |
| 1950s | 1,346 | No. 575 |
| 1960s | 1,323 | No. 639 |
| 1970s | 3,610 | No. 353 |
| 1980s | 5,455 | No. 337 |
| 1990s | 8,562 | No. 276 |
| 2000s | 28,043 | No. 90 |
| 2010s | 69,900 | No. 43 |
| 2020s | 26,169 | No. 60 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.