| Asher | Eli | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | happy, blessed | Ascended, high |
| Origin | hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | AH-sher | EE-ly |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2022 (8,418) | 2012 (8,079) |
| In 2025 | 7,456 | 3,418 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Asher | Eli |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 47,998 | 26,169 |
| 2010s | 48,557 | 69,900 |
| 2000s | 11,125 | 28,043 |
| 1990s | 1,705 | 8,562 |
| 1980s | 787 | 5,455 |
| 1970s | 315 | 3,610 |
| 1960s | 121 | 1,323 |
| 1950s | 100 | 1,346 |
| 1940s | 103 | 1,288 |
| 1930s | 114 | 1,592 |
| 1920s | 152 | 2,520 |
| 1910s | 108 | 1,991 |
| 1900s | 0 | 483 |
| 1890s | 11 | 492 |
| 1880s | 31 | 721 |
From the Hebrew root a-sh-r and the noun osher, 'happiness, good fortune, blessedness.' In Genesis 30:13 the name is introduced with Leah's exclamation 'Happy am I!' (be'oshri) — a biblical wordplay, though the link to the root 'to be happy/fortunate' is also sound linguistically.
From the Hebrew, “ascended” or “high.” Eli is a priest in the Book of Samuel.
Asher is more popular than Eli today: about 7,456 US babies were given the name Asher in 2025, compared with 3,418 named Eli.
Asher means happy, blessed (hebrew origin), while Eli means Ascended, high (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Asher first appears in 1880 and Eli in 1880, so Asher has the longer recorded history.