Eli
Boy name · #104 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Eli? In official American birth records, Eli has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Eli is currently the #104 boy name in the United States — 3,418 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #53, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 527 boys born in 2025 was named Eli.
Babies named Eli per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Eli first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 73 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 8,079 boys were named Eli — good for #43 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Eli against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Eli in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Eli is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Eli is most common
Geography matters for names, and Eli is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Eli is most common in ME (5.5 per 1,000), AK (4.8 per 1,000), WV (3.9 per 1,000), ND (3.6 per 1,000), HI (3.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 2.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Eli is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Eli
Eli belongs to the Elias family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Elias family went to about 12,255 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #5, versus #104 for Eli alone.
Names like Eli
Statistically, parents drawn to Eli tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jace, Easton, Kai, Jude, and Jaxon.
JaceEastonKaiJudeJaxonRyderParkerColton
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Eli | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,418 | #104 |
| 2024 | 3,742 | #92 |
| 2023 | 4,111 | #79 |
| 2022 | 4,704 | #69 |
| 2021 | 4,913 | #64 |
| 2020 | 5,281 | #60 |
| 2019 | 5,539 | #62 |
| 2018 | 6,094 | #57 |
| 2017 | 6,637 | #54 |
| 2016 | 7,132 | #50 |
| 2015 | 7,163 | #53 |
| 2014 | 7,513 | #49 |
| 2013 | 7,952 | #43 |
| 2012 | 8,079 | #43 |
| 2011 | 7,220 | #58 |
| 2010 | 6,571 | #65 |
| 2009 | 4,923 | #90 |
| 2008 | 4,526 | #99 |
| 2007 | 3,253 | #129 |
| 2006 | 2,997 | #136 |
| 2005 | 2,699 | #152 |
| 2004 | 2,557 | #156 |
| 2003 | 1,995 | #190 |
| 2002 | 1,953 | #193 |
| 2001 | 1,644 | #213 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Eli?
In official American birth records, the name Eli first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 73 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Eli a popular boy name?
Eli ranked #104 among boys in 2025 with 3,418 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #53.
When was the name Eli most popular?
Eli peaked in 2012, when 8,079 American boys received the name (ranked #43 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Eli?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 527 newborn American boys was named Eli. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.