Eli

Eli is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin. It derives from the Hebrew elements El, meaning "God," combined with a possessive suffix that is commonly interpreted as "my." In the Hebrew Bible, Eli was the high priest at Shiloh who mentored the prophet Samuel; his story appears in the books of Samuel and is tied to themes of faith and responsibility.

Beyond its biblical association, Eli is used as a standalone given name in many cultures and also as a shortened form of longer names such as Elijah or Elis. Variants include Élie, the French form, and Eliyahu in contexts where Hebrew forms are used. The name is widely used across English-speaking regions and in other languages, often retaining the same concise, direct pronunciation.

Notable people named Eli include Eli Manning, an American football quarterback born in 1981; Eli Wallach, an American actor (1915–2014); Eli Roth, an American filmmaker born in 1972; and Eli Broad, an American businessman and philanthropist (1933–2021). The name also appears in literature and film as a character name, reflecting its broad cultural reach.

In summary, Eli is a concise, historically rooted name with biblical origins, commonly used in many countries as a standalone given name or a shortened form of related names, and it continues to appear in public life and popular culture.