Given name
Anneli
“a woman graced with God's favor”·“from the graceful meadow”
In Swedish use, Anneli has a related form in Anna. One Latin interpretation is “a woman graced with God's favor.” Anneli is a variant of Annalee. One English interpretation is “from the graceful meadow.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Swedish use, Anneli has a related form in Anna. One Latin interpretation is “a woman graced with God's favor.” Anneli is a variant of Annalee. One English interpretation is “from the graceful meadow.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Anneli is a variant of Annalee. An origin associated with Annalee is English.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In German usage, Anneli is an affectionate form of Anna.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1967. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Anneli through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 494
- 0 boys · 494 girls
- Most popular year
- 2018
- 23 babies
- 2025
- 16
- #6,867 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −14%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 16 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 6,867 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 14.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 23 in 2018. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 604 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Anneli’s family of names
In German usage, Anneli is an affectionate form of Anna. In Finnish usage, Anneli has a conventional equivalent in the Czech form Hana. In Swedish usage, Anneli has a related form in Anna.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Anneli has relatives in 6 languages.
6 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Anneli
- Anneli JäätteenmäkiFinnish politicianborn 1955
- Anneli OttEstonian politician (born 1976)
- Anneli SauliFinnish actress (1932-2022)
- Anneli AlhankoSwedish ballet dancer and actressborn 1953
- Anneli DreckerNorwegian singer and actressborn 1969
- Anneli HulthénSwedish politician and county governorborn 1960
- Anneli TainaFinnish politicianborn 1951
- Anneli LaxAmerican mathematician (1922-1999)
- Anneli AndelénSwedish association football playerborn 1968
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Anneli, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Brinli
“from the burnt meadow”
>99% girls
Aylena
“from the oak tree”
>99% girls
Alani
“from the orange tree”
1% boys · 99% girls
Everleigh
“from the boar's meadow”
>99% girls
Aspen
“from the aspen tree”
13% boys · 87% girls
Kailani
“of the sky and sea”
>99% girls
Butterfly
Butterfly is used as a given name and a surname. One American interpretation is “resembling a beautiful and colorful winged insect.”
>99% girls
Kaylani
“of the sky and sea”
>99% girls