Unisex · #9,041 in 2026

Esli

Esli was a Russian science fiction literary magazine. It was started in 1991 in Moscow, as a publisher of foreign SF stories, but soon broadened its format to include Russophone writers as well. In the 2000s, Esli also started publishing fantasy short stories and articles on futurology.

Current Rank
#9,041
Peak Rank
#4,527 (2000)
Total Babies
453
5-Yr Trend
-2%
👧 Girl peak #4,527 (453 total)
👦 Boy peak #4,606 (150 total)
👧As Girl Name
1990
First Year
2026
Last Year
2000
Peak Year
#4527
Peak Rank
453
Total Count
37
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1987
First Year
2024
Last Year
2023
Peak Year
#4606
Peak Rank
150
Total Count
20
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Esli

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Esli was a Russian science fiction literary magazine. It was started in 1991 in Moscow, as a publisher of foreign SF stories, but soon broadened its format to include Russophone writers as well. In the 2000s, Esli also started publishing fantasy short stories and articles on futurology.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Esli

As a girl name

American parents first put Esli on the record books as a girl name in 1990, with 10 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2000, when 26 Eslis were born — ranking #4,527 that year. About 38% of every Esli on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Esli ranks #9,041 for girls with 9 births, holding steady (-2%). All told, over 453 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.

As a boy name

The earliest SSA record of Esli as a boy name dates back to 1987, when 5 babies received it. 2023 was its biggest year on record, with 22 newborns named Esli — #4,606 in the national rankings. About 33% of every Esli on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. Esli last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 150 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

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MI
NY
VT
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ID
SD
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IN
OH
PA
NJ
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RI
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NE
MO
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VA
MD
DE
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UT
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Top 10
11-50
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101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Esli

Phonetically similar names — useful when Esli is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Esli

What does the name Esli mean?
Esli was a Russian science fiction literary magazine. It was started in 1991 in Moscow, as a publisher of foreign SF stories, but soon broadened its format to include Russophone writers as well. In the 2000s, Esli also started publishing fantasy short stories and articles on futurology.
How popular is Esli in 2026?
In 2026, Esli ranks #9,041 among girls' names in the U.S., with 9 babies given the name that year.
When was Esli most popular?
Esli reached its peak popularity in 2000, ranking #4,527 that year with 26 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Esli most popular?
Esli has historically been most popular in California, Texas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Esli.
Is Esli a unisex name?
Yes — Esli is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 75% of Eslis assigned female and 25% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Esli?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Esli include Shalinda, Calisha, Brandalynn. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Esli

Esli is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1990 and has accumulated 453 births in the dataset. Esli's peak popularity came in 2000 when it ranked #4,527. Use the chart and map above to compare Esli's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.