Eli

Commonly explained from Hebrew as ‘my God’, and strongly associated with biblical usage.

Eli is a short Hebrew-origin name that is closely associated with biblical tradition, where it appears as a personal name in the Hebrew Bible. Because it is both brief and widely recognizable, it’s often used as a standalone given name in modern naming as well, not only as a longer-form nickname. In meaning summaries, Eli is commonly explained as “my God,” reflecting the Hebrew form ʿEli; as with many ancient names, modern glosses are a helpful guide to the structure rather than a guarantee of how people historically “felt” the meaning in everyday life. From an etymology standpoint, it’s a direct Hebrew form that has been transmitted into many languages through religious and literary contexts. In English, pronunciation is usually EE-lye (two clear beats); in some non-English contexts you may hear something closer to EH-lee. A practical tip is to confirm the preferred pronunciation in multilingual settings, since both patterns are common.

Etymology: From the Hebrew name ʿEli (often written Eli), appearing in biblical texts; the short form is sometimes used on its own as a given name.