Itai as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Itai

What is the meaning of the name Itai ?

The baby name Itai is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced ee-TAI (IPA: /iˈtaɪ/; Hebrew approx. [itˈai]).

Itai is Hebrew in Origin.

Itai is a Hebrew given name, prevalent in modern Israel, derived from the biblical Ittai, a loyal commander who accompanied King David during Absalom’s revolt. The form likely comes from the preposition et, “with,” plus the first-person suffix, yielding the sense “with me,” interpreted as “companion,” “one who stands by,” or a name evoking loyalty. Ittai the Gittite and another warrior named Ittai/Ithai appear in Samuel and Chronicles, anchoring the name in ancient usage; its modern revival took hold in the mid-20th century and it has ranked among popular Israeli boys’ names since the 1980s.

Variants and transliterations include Itay, Ittai, Ithai, and Etai. Outside Hebrew, Itai also exists in Shona (Zimbabwe), unrelated etymologically, where it is an imperative meaning “do” or “act,” often understood as a moral exhortation (“do good”). Hebrew usage is primarily masculine; in Shona it can be unisex.