We’re having our first boy, and we both love the name and sound of [name]Eli[/name]. My husband is okay with [name]Elijah[/name], with [name]Eli[/name] as nn, but to me [name]Elijah[/name] is just getting too popular, and there’s something about the “jah” sound that doesn’t excite me. We’d call him [name]Eli[/name] most of the time, but I just can’t make myself put [name]Elijah[/name] on all his official documents… KWIM? I would go with just [name]Eli[/name] as a full name, but I can see people go “is that short for [name]Elijah[/name]?” and having to explain “no, that’s the full name just like that”… I also feel it’s too nick-namey, and feel bad about not having a longer “official” name to fall back on…
We threw around the name [name]Elliot[/name] but feel [name]El[/name] is a more natural nn rather than [name]Eli[/name] for it, and we really want [name]Eli[/name]… Also, we don’t like [name]Elias[/name]. Any suggestions?
P.S. we want [name]Benjamin[/name] as a mn, and I’m afraid there are to many “ja’s” with the fn [name]Elijah[/name]… what do you think?
I really think if you like [name]Eli[/name] you should name him [name]Eli[/name]. It’s a short name, yes, but it isn’t “short” for anything. [name]Just[/name] as [name]Finn[/name] is not a short form of [name]Finnian[/name] or [name]Nathan[/name] a short form of [name]Nathaniel[/name], [name]Eli[/name] stands on its own.
[name]Eli[/name] is a name on its own. I dont think it needs to be a nn for anything. I dont find it nick-namey, and I wouldnt assume that it was short for anything either.
I agree with pp’s suggestion of [name]Elias[/name]. It’s a great alternative if you don’t like [name]Elijah[/name] (personally I like it more), and, though they’re a bit of a stretch, you could also use [name]Elliott[/name], [name]Elio[/name], or [name]Elian[/name]. I don’t think [name]Eli[/name] is bad on it’s own and it isn’t too cutesy or childish like other nickname names, but a full name would allow your son to pick what he wants to go by.
Thanks for your replies. We don’t like [name]Elias[/name], so that’s out. I’m really loving [name]Eli[/name], and [name]Eli[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name] works well I think… Plus [name]Eli[/name] is less common than [name]Elijah[/name]. I guess I’m worried that people will be assuming his name is [name]Elijah[/name] or [name]Elias[/name] (even though I know [name]Eli[/name] stands as a name on its own, but still), or asking every time if that’s short for something. [name]Don[/name]'t want him (and us) to go thought life with an explanation behind his name, you know? [name]Ah[/name]… I wish I could get a bunch of [name]Eli[/name]'s and just ask them! :lol:
Truthfully, I don’t think many people will ask (although a few might). People tend to use the name used during an introduction. If you were to meet an [name]Ellie[/name], would you ask if that was sort for [name]Eleanor[/name]/[name]Elizabeth[/name]/[name]Ellen[/name]/etc?
I wouldn’t assume [name]Eli[/name] was short for anything else. To use pp’s example, if I heard [name]Nathan[/name] I wouldn’t think it was short for [name]Nathaniel[/name]. If I heard [name]Nate[/name], I would think it was a nn but I do not have that same feeling towards [name]Eli[/name]. [name]Just[/name] my two cents!
I love [name]Eli[/name]! I also prefer it over [name]Elijah[/name] - [name]Elijah[/name] seems more trendy and more in-your-face biblical, while [name]Eli[/name] sounds like a nice, regular guy, like a [name]Sam[/name] or [name]Dave[/name]. Plus it is 100% a complete first name, like the [name]Nathan[/name]/[name]Nathaniel[/name] example. Think of [name]Eli[/name] [name]Whitney[/name]! It’s one of the earliest inventors I remember learning about in grade school, and I’m sure your son would find it cool to have a famous namesake.
I love [name]Eli[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name]. If I heard that as a boy’s name I wouldn’t assume [name]Eli[/name] was short for something. I had a student named [name]Eli[/name], just [name]Eli[/name], and I never thought twice about it until you mentioned it! I prefer [name]Eli[/name] too over all of the other possibilities you mentioned…love [name]Eli[/name]!
[name]Eli[/name] can definitely be it’s own name. I think [name]Eli[/name] can be a nickname for [name]Elliott[/name], but if you’re not that crazy about [name]Elliott[/name], [name]Elijah[/name], or [name]Elias[/name] then just go with [name]Eli[/name]. I’m not crazy about [name]Elijah[/name] myself, but I love [name]Eli[/name].
The only thing you might want to consider is if you plan on having future children what names would you use. Would you feel limited by using “just” [name]Eli[/name]? I’m not saying you should feel limited but if you are hesitant now it might be something to think about. For example if your top girls names were [name]Katherine[/name] nn [name]Kit[/name], [name]Elizabeth[/name] nn [name]Liz[/name], and [name]Margaret[/name] nn [name]Meg[/name] you might want to give consideration to how you would feel giving them a longer name option. But if your top girls names are [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Ava[/name], and [name]Ivy[/name] than [name]Eli[/name] is actually the best fit.
I actually like shorter names more than longer names, so while I can’t think so far ahead, I’m guessing a sibling’s name might be something on the short side. Right now, both DH and I really like [name]Eli[/name] of all combos (although he still also likes [name]Elijah[/name]). I’m so excited to think this might be his name!!!
I like [name]Eli[/name] [name]Benjamin[/name] a lot. I don’t think it’s too Jewish or too Biblical. I actually find [name]Elijah[/name] or [name]Elias[/name] more religious sounding.
Actually there is just an “[name]Eli[/name]” in the Bible, not short for anything! So it is a real name with its own meaning. I love the name [name]Eli[/name] by itself, more than [name]Elijah[/name] or [name]Elias[/name], and definitely more than [name]Elliot[/name].