Elli

Elli is a small Greek name that opens in several directions at once. In Greece it serves as a fond diminutive of Eleni or Elisavet, the short form that runs through courtyards and school corridors. In Old Norse mythology, Elli is the personification of old age, the crone who wrestled Thor to one knee in Utgard. Scandinavians and Finns also use it as a standalone name, sometimes drawn from Elisabet. Two syllables, bright at the front, soft at the close. It has a pinafore and cardigan quality, but with a stubborn clarity that suits daughters who make up their own minds early.