Eli

Eli derives from the Hebrew name Elî, meaning my God or possibly high, exalted, rooted in the Hebrew word el referring to God. In the Hebrew Bible, Eli is the high priest who mentored the prophet Samuel, giving the name deep scriptural weight in Jewish and Christian traditions. The name has been used in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation, when biblical names gained popularity, and remains common today. It also functions as a short form of names such as Elijah, Elias, Elizabeth, and Eliana across various languages and cultures.