Elay as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Elay

What is the meaning of the name Elay ?

The baby name Elay is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced eh-LAY,ee-LAY.

Elay is English in Origin.

Elay is a modern, largely unisex given name with several plausible roots. In Hebrew contexts it functions as a phonetic variant of Eli/Elai, or as a short form linked to Elijah (Hebrew Eliyahu), yielding meanings such as “my God” (from El + -i) or “Yahweh is my God.” This spelling appears in Israel and the Jewish diaspora from the late 20th century and in Francophone use alongside Elie/Élie.

In Turkish naming, Elay/İlay is a contemporary coinage built on ay “moon,” read as “moonlike” or “of the moon,” and it sees more feminine use. South Indian usage connects to Tamil ilai/elai “leaf; tender, young,” sometimes Anglicized as Elay. In English-speaking countries it also arises as a creative respelling of Eli with the trendy -ay ending. Related forms and variants include Eli, Ely, Elai, Ilay/İlay, Elie/Élie, and elaborations like Elaya or Ilaya.