Ilai as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ilai

What is the meaning of the name Ilai ?

The baby name Ilai is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced {'IPA': '/ɪˈlaɪ/', 'common': 'ih-LIE'}.

Ilai is Hebrew, Tamil in Origin.

Ilai is a Hebrew/Aramaic given name from the Semitic root ʿ‑l‑y, denoting height or elevation. It carries meanings such as “exalted,” “uppermost,” or “sublime,” and is commonly pronounced ee-LAI. The name appears in the Hebrew Bible as Ilai the Ahohite, one of King David’s warriors (1 Chronicles 11:29). It also figures in early rabbinic history: Rabbi Ilai, a 2nd‑century Tanna and father of the renowned Judah bar Ilai, helped preserve the name within Jewish tradition.

Contemporary Israeli usage has revived Ilai, mainly for boys though sometimes used unisex, appreciated for its concise, international sound. Transliterations and variants include Ilay and Elai; Eli/Ely may be viewed as related by sound and root but are typically cataloged separately. Outside Hebrew, note an unrelated homonym in Tamil, where ilai means “leaf,” a distinct origin that merely coincides in spelling.