Best 100 Middle Names For Eli in 2023

middle names for Eli

The name Eli came over with the colonization of America and has maintained a position on the Top 1000 list for over 120 years. This biblical name has become a favorite of parents and it’s easy to see why. 

If you’re considering naming your son Eli, we’ve compiled a list of the best middle names for Eli below. 

Meaning of the Name Eli

Eli has two different meanings that both originate from the Hebrew Bible.

Eli comes from the biblical word עֵלִי meaning “ascent” or “ascension.” 

Eli is also an abbreviation or nickname for Hebrew names such as Elijah, Elisha, Eliezer, etc. All these names contain the element אלי meaning “my God.”

OriginHebrew
Pronunciationee-lie

Best Middle Names for Eli

Whether you’re looking for a biblical middle name to match or something more modern, we’ve put together our favorites here. 

  1. Eli Alastair
  2. Eli Alexander
  3. Eli Anderson
  4. Eli Archer
  5. Eli Asher
  6. Eli Atticus
  7. Eli Austin
  8. Eli Beckett
  9. Eli Benjamin
  10. Eli Bennett
  11. Eli Bradley
  12. Eli Brooks
  13. Eli Caleb
  14. Eli Cameron
  15. Eli Carl
  16. Eli Carson
  17. Eli Carter
  18. Eli Charles
  19. Eli Chase
  20. Eli Christopher
  21. Eli Clark
  22. Eli Clay
  23. Eli Cole
  24. Eli Conner
  25. Eli Conrad
  26. Eli David
  27. Eli Dean
  28. Eli Declan
  29. Eli Dexter
  30. Eli Dominic
  31. Eli Donovan
  32. Eli Douglas
  33. Eli Edward
  34. Eli Emmett
  35. Eli Everett
  36. Eli Finnigan
  37. Eli Flynn
  38. Eli Frederick
  39. Eli Gabriel
  40. Eli Garrett
  41. Eli Gideon
  42. Eli Grant
  43. Eli Grayson
  44. Eli Gregory
  45. Eli Harrison
  46. Eli Heath
  47. Eli Henry
  48. Eli Hudson
  49. Eli Hunter
  50. Eli Jackson
  51. Eli Jacob
  52. Eli James
  53. Eli Jameson
  54. Eli Jason
  55. Eli Jasper
  56. Eli Joel
  57. Eli Jonathan
  58. Eli Jordan
  59. Eli Joseph
  60. Eli Jude
  61. Eli Kevin
  62. Eli Lawrence
  63. Eli Leonardo
  64. Eli Louis
  65. Eli Lucas
  66. Eli Malcolm
  67. Eli Marcus
  68. Eli Mason
  69. Eli Matthew
  70. Eli Maxwell
  71. Eli Michael
  72. Eli Miles
  73. Eli Morgan
  74. Eli Nathaniel
  75. Eli Parker
  76. Eli Phillip
  77. Eli Phineas
  78. Eli Preston
  79. Eli Richard
  80. Eli Robert
  81. Eli Ronan
  82. Eli Sawyer
  83. Eli Sebastian
  84. Eli Simon
  85. Eli Solomon
  86. Eli Soren
  87. Eli Tanner
  88. Eli Taylor
  89. Eli Theodore
  90. Eli Thomas
  91. Eli Tobias
  92. Eli Tristan
  93. Eli Victor
  94. Eli Vincent
  95. Eli Walter
  96. Eli Wesley
  97. Eli William
  98. Eli Xavier
  99. Eli Zachary
  100. Eli Zane
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How To Pick a Middle Name

Do You Need A Middle Name?

In short, no. You do not need to give your child a middle name.  You can choose to only give your child a first name and last name. There are no laws or requirements in regard to middle names.

However, according to research in the European Journal of Social Psychology, using middle initials in your name increases people’s perception of your intelligence.

Providing your child with a middle name will help differentiate them from others who share their same name. It also gives them a second option. Some children choose to go by their middle names instead of their first names as they grow older.

We all know how important it is to find the perfect name for our children. But did you know that in some cultures, middle names can be used as a way to give your child an additional identity? A new connection with their family history or heritage. 

Here we will explore the things you should consider when giving your children a middle name!

Family Names

A child’s middle name is a great way to honor a beloved family member. It could be someone who has passed or a living family member who means a lot to the parents. Middle names don’t need to be gender-specific, so this could be a good place to include male or female family members. 

Some parents like to include family surnames, such as the mother’s maiden name, as a middle name. This allows both sides of the family to pass down their name to the child. Any name that is meaningful to the family can make a nice middle name.

Flow and Initials

Probably the most important thing parents think of when choosing their child’s name is how it all sounds together. The first, middle, and last name should flow nicely together.

Many popular middle names are short, one or two syllable names because they pair well with most first names.

If family members speak another language or have an accent, take into consideration how everyone will be pronouncing the names when determining how they fit together

Monograms are popular in Southern culture, but it is still helpful to consider your child’s initials regardless of where you live.

Monograms for women are typically in the order of first name initial, large last name initial, and then middle name initial.

For men, the initials are usually in order of first, middle, and then last name. Avoid spelling out unfortunate words with the initials.

Middle names and their initials can also be used for nicknames. For example, Mary Elizabeth can be shortened to Mary Beth. Or, Elizabeth Zoe can be shortened to the initials E. Z. As a nickname. 

If you just can’t narrow it down to a first name and a middle name, you can always include multiple middle names. In the United States, most people only have one middle name, but it is common around the world to have two or more.

It is recommended not to add too many middle names though. Most paperwork only leaves a spot for a single middle name or initial and multiple names can lead to confusion.

Special Meanings

A child’s middle name is a great way to pay homage to anything that holds special meaning to the parents. Some inspiration for names includes:

  • Influential people in your life
  • Characters from books, movies, or television
  • Locations that hold memories
  • Languages that are important to the family
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First Name for Middle Name Eli

If you’re considering Eli as a middle name, we’ve compiled together some great first name options here. 

  • Abraham Eli
  • Adrien Eli
  • Alexander Eli
  • Anderson Eli
  • Andrew Eli
  • Benjamin Eli
  • Bennett Eli
  • Callahan Eli
  • Carter Eli
  • Chandler Eli
  • Christopher Eli
  • David Eli
  • Dominic Eli
  • Donovan Eli
  • Edward Eli
  • Emmett Eli
  • Everett Eli
  • Francis Eli
  • Gideon Eli
  • Graham Eli
  • Harrison Eli
  • Henry Eli
  • Jacob Eli
  • James Eli
  • Jameson Eli
  • Jaxon Eli
  • Jeremiah Eli
  • Jonathan Eli
  • Joshua Eli
  • Judas Eli
  • Kyle Eli
  • Landon Eli
  • Langston Eli
  • Lawrence Eli
  • Leger Eli
  • Lennox Eli
  • Matthew Eli
  • Micah Eli
  • Michael Eli
  • Nicholas Eli
  • Noah Eli
  • Nolan Eli
  • Norman Eli
  • Orion Eli
  • Parker Eli
  • Paxton Eli
  • Peyton Eli
  • Philip Eli
  • Phoenix Eli
  • Raymond Eli
  • Richard Eli
  • Robert Eli
  • Ronan Eli
  • Samuel Eli
  • Sawyer Eli
  • Sebastian Eli
  • Solomon Eli
  • Thomas Eli
  • Timothy Eli
  • Travis Eli
  • Vaughn Eli
  • Victor Eli
  • Vincent Eli
  • Weston Eli
  • Zachary Eli

Nicknames for Eli

  • E
  • El
  • Lee
  • Li

Variations of Eli

  • Eeli
  • Elie
  • Ely
  • Heli

Names Similar to Eli

  • Abel
  • Aiden
  • Asher
  • Beau
  • Benjamin
  • Bodhi
  • Caiden
  • Caleb
  • Clyde
  • Damon
  • David
  • Elias
  • Elijah
  • Elliot
  • Ethan
  • Ezra
  • Finn
  • Gage
  • Graham
  • Henri
  • Isaac
  • Isaiah
  • Jacob
  • Jonah
  • Keagan
  • Kellen
  • Korbin
  • Leo
  • Levi
  • Liam
  • Micah
  • Milo
  • Noah
  • Oliver
  • Owen
  • Palmer
  • Payson
  • Remy
  • River
  • Samuel
  • Silas
  • Soren
  • Tobias
  • William
  • Wyatt

Sibling Boy Names that go with Eli

  • Eli and Asher
  • Eli and Beckett
  • Eli and Cameron
  • Eli and Dean
  • Eli and Emmett
  • Eli and Ethan
  • Eli and Everett
  • Eli and Flynn
  • Eli and Gabriel
  • Eli and Henry
  • Eli and Isaac
  • Eli and Isaiah
  • Eli and Liam
  • Eli and Louis
  • Eli and Micah
  • Eli and Nathaniel
  • Eli and Nolan
  • Eli and Owen
  • Eli and Ronan
  • Eli and Silas
  • Eli and Simon
  • Eli and Spencer
  • Eli and Tobias
  • Eli and Wesley
  • Eli and Zachary

Sibling Girl Names that go with Eli

  • Eli and Alexandra
  • Eli and Alice
  • Eli and Ava
  • Eli and Beatrice
  • Eli and Clara
  • Eli and Dahlia
  • Eli and Daisy
  • Eli and Emma
  • Eli and Esther
  • Eli and Gemma
  • Eli and Hazel
  • Eli and Indie
  • Eli and Ivy
  • Eli and June
  • Eli and Lucy
  • Eli and Lydia
  • Eli and Molly
  • Eli and Naomi
  • Eli and Olivia
  • Eli and Phoebe
  • Eli and Ruby
  • Eli and Sadie
  • Eli and Slyvie
  • Eli and Sophie
  • Eli and Zoe
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History of the Name Eli 

In the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Eli is a high priest of the Israelites. Eli gave Samuel guidance when God spoke to him. Due to the misdeeds of his sons, Eli and his descendants were cursed to die before reaching old age.

El is also the name of a Semitic deity that is used in the Bible as a name for the god of Israelites. The suffix for the genitive form “mine” is -i. 

Eli is used as a short form for Hebrew names such as Elijah, Elisa, Elliot, Eliezer, etc., and for feminine names like Elizabeth and Eliana. Eli and Elin are also short forms of the feminine name Helena used in Scandinavia. 

Eli became a common English Christian given name after the Protestant Reformation. The Puritans took the name with them to the American colonies. 

In the United States, Eli was a popular name in the late 19th century. According to the Social Security Database, the name slowly began to decline on the charts in the early 1900s. Eli reached its lowest point on the popular chart in 1964 when it ranked as the 705th most popular boy’s name.

Eli began to climb back up the charts in 1965. By 2008 it had jumped into a top 100 boy’s name position. Thus far, 2012 and 2013 have been the best years for the name Eli ranking in the 43rd spot.

A contributor to the name’s popularity came from American football quarterback Eli Manning. Selected during the 2004 NFL Draft he has been recognized as a two time super bowl MVP. His first Super Bowl championship win was in 2007, just before the name Eli became a top 100 boy’s name in 2008. 

As of 2021, Eli ranks as the 64th most popular boy’s name in the United States.

The alternative spelling version, Elie, appeared on the baby naming charts from 1900 to 1901, 1903, 1905-1906, 1908, and finally in 1911 before completely falling off the charts.   

Another alternative spelling version, Ely, only appeared once on the baby naming charts in 1901 ranking in the 983rd spot. 

Famous People with the Name Eli

Eli Derschwitz U.S. Olympic saber fencer
Eli Gorenstein Israeli voice actor for the films The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid to name a few
Eli Lilly American soldier, pharmaceutical chemist, and industrialist, founder of Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Long General in the Union Army in the American Civil War
Eli Manning American football player and 2 time super bowl MVP
Eli Roth American film director who directed the films Cabin Fever and Hostel
Eli Terry Inventor and clockmaker who introduced mass production to the art of clockmaking
Eli Wallach American film, television and stage actor in the films The Misfits, The Godfather Part III, and Wall Street: Money never Sleeps to name a few
Eli Whitney American inventor of the cotton gin
Elihu “Eli” Yale Benefactor of Yale University, also known as “Eli Yale”

Fictional Characters Named Eli

Elia character on the television series Freaks and Geeks
Elia character on the television series Xena: Warrior Princess
Eli Dingle a character on the British soap opera Emmerdale
Eli Gold a character on the television series The Good Wife
Eli Loker a character on the television series Lie to Me
Eli Mills a character from the film Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Eli Stone a character on the television show Eli Stone
Elias “Eli” Thompson a character on the television series Boardwalk Empire
Eli Wallace a character on the serial drama Stargate Universe
Eli Vanto a character in the Star Wars franchise Thrawn novels

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the name Eli short for?

Eli is a shortened version of many names such as Elijah, Elias, Elliot, Eliah, Ellis, Eliezer, Eliseo, Eliam, Ellison, Elio, Elizabeth and Eliana. Eli is also a short form of the feminine Scandinavia name Helena.  

Is Eli a biblical name?

Yes. Eli appears in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament as a high priest of the Israelites. There is also a form of Eli as El which is the name of a Semitic deity used in the Bible as a name for the god of Israelites. 

Is Eli a popular name?

Eli has been a given name in the United States since the days of colonization. It began to climb up the charts in the mid-1960s and reached a top 100 boy’s name ranking in 2008. Eli currently ranks as the 60th most popular boy’s name in America. 

Final Thoughts on Middle Names for Eli

If you’re looking for a charming biblical name that has a familiar feel, Eli might be the perfect name for you. This sweet name would be a great compliment for your baby boy.

We hope our list of middle names has been useful in your search for the best baby name! 

MORE MIDDLE NAME IDEAS

Now that you’ve seen all the middle name ideas for Eli, you might want to check out some middle name ideas for these similar names!

If you’re looking for more middle name ideas, you can find all our lists in our Middle Names section.

For more baby name ideas and inspiration head over to our Baby Names section.  

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