Eli is Hebrew and means "ascended" or "high"; in the Book of Samuel, Eli is the high priest who raises the prophet Samuel. It also serves as a short form of Elijah and Elias, and quarterback Eli Manning and inventor Eli Whitney are among its American bearers. Eli ranked number 228 in 2000, entered the top 100 in 2008 and peaked at number 43 in 2012, and in 2025 it stands at number 104.