Eli

We think of Eli as a pet form of Elijah or Eliot when, in fact, it’s a first name in its own right. Eli comes from the Hebrew word meaning "height". Eli was borne from the Bible, specifically in 1 Samuel 1-4. He was one of the last Israelite judges and a priest before the eventual rule of kings. Eli steps in when Hannah finally gives birth to a son, Samuel, after tortuous years of barrenness. In exchange for her answered prayers for motherhood, Hannah gives the child over to Eli to raise him in the service of God (Samuel will eventually become an important prophet). Still, maybe not such a good idea. You see, Eli had a couple of “bad boy” sons himself (who, among other things, inappropriately fornicate with women in the entrance to the Tabernacle). Samuel eventually hears from the Lord that Eli’s dynasty will soon come to an end. After informing his guardian Eli, the priest takes the news in stride: “He is the Lord. Let Him do what is good in His eyes.” Sounds like the man understood. Eventually, the Philistines defeat the Israelites and capture the Ark of the Covenant (the physical manifestation of God’s presence). Upon hearing this news, Eli (now 98 years old), keels over in despair, breaks his neck and dies. So that’s the story; we’re not making it up. The Puritans started using the name Eli in the 17th century. It was their practice to choose lesser known Biblical names and adopt them as their own. Eventually the name would spread, and Jewish people still embrace it as a pet form of numerous names with the “el” element (meaning God).