Shai
Shai is a Jewish given name. It is derived from the Hebrew word for 'gift' (שי).
- Hebrew
Meaning & Origin of Shai
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Shai is a Jewish given name. It is derived from the Hebrew word for 'gift' (שי).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Hebrew
The Story of Shai
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Shai as a girl name dates back to 1968, when 5 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 117 newborns named Shai — #1,749 in the national rankings. About 36% of every Shai on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Shai ranks #1,749 for girls with 117 births, rising sharply (+79% over the past five years). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Shai on the record books as a boy name in 1971, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 236 Shais were born — ranking #961 that year. About 52% of every Shai on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Shai ranks #961 for boys with 236 births, rising sharply (+98% over the past five years). All told, over 3K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Shai
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Shai. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Shai
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shai is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shai
What does the name Shai mean?
What is the origin of the name Shai?
How popular is Shai in 2026?
When was Shai most popular?
In which U.S. states is Shai most popular?
Is Shai a unisex name?
What names go well with Shai?
What are nicknames or variants of Shai?
About the name Shai
Shai is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Shai's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #961. Use the chart and map above to compare Shai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.