Veli

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

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, a former name of the Armenian town Tsaghkavan, Tavush

Other uses

Veli (film), a 1985 Indian Tamil film
Veli Railway Station, Trivandrum, Kerala, India