Veli is a male Finnish and Estonian given name, meaning brother. It is also an Ottoman Turkish name, mainly used by Ottoman affiliated populations as a male given name, meaning guardian. Its original etymology in Arabic meaning a "friend of God" when used in a religious-mystical context, and is the singular form of Evliya.
People Given name Veli Acar (born 1981), Turkish footballer Veli-Matti Ahonen, Finnish ski jumper Veli Kavlak (born 1988), Austrian footballer Veli-Pekka Ketola (born 1948), Finnish ice hockey player Veli Kızılkaya (born 1985), Turkish footballer Veli Koota (born 1957), Finnish boxer Veli Lampi (born 1984), Finnish footballer Veli Lehtelä (1935–2020), Finnish rower Veli-Matti Lindström (born 1983), Finnish ski jumper Veli Merikoski (1905–1982), Finnish politician and professor Veli Nieminen (1886–1936), Finnish gymnast and sports shooter Veli Paloheimo (born 1967), Finnish tennis player Veli Saarinen (1902–1969), Finnish cross-country skier
Surname
Apolonia Dorregaray Veli (1914-2002), Peruvian artist, maker of mate burilado
Gursel Veli (born 1982), Turkish-Bulgarian footballer Hacı Bayram-ı Veli (1352–1430), Turkish poet, founder of the Bayrami Sufi sect Haji Bektash Veli, Sufi mystic Orhan Veli (1914–1950), Turkish poet Bayezid II (Sultân Bayezid-î Velî) was the oldest son and successor of Mehmed II
Mythologic people Veļi, dead-soul spirits in Latvian mythology
Places Veli (Gagra District), a village in Abkhazia, Georgia Veli, a short name for the Croatian village Veli Lošinj Veli, or Veligegh, a former name of the Armenian town Tsaghkavan, Tavush
Other uses Veli (film), a 1985 Indian Tamil film Veli Railway Station, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
See also Wali (disambiguation) Auliya (disambiguation)