The baby name Shai is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /ʃaɪ/ (shy).
Shai is Hebrew in Origin.
The baby name Shai is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /ʃaɪ/ (shy).
Shai is Hebrew in Origin.
Shai is a concise, unisex name with layered origins. In Hebrew (שי), it means "gift" and appears in the Bible as a common noun; as a given name it gained wide use in modern Israel and can also shorten Yishai (Jesse). In ancient Egyptian religion, Shai (also transcribed Shay) named the personification of fate or destiny, giving the name a second, evocative meaning. Although "shay" means "tea" in Arabic, that word only occasionally inspires the name.
Usage rose in Israel in the mid-20th century and spread to Jewish and broader communities abroad from the late 20th century. The name is comfortably unisex in Hebrew-speaking contexts; in English it alternates with Shay, Shaye, and less often Shae, while compound Hebrew forms like Shaily/Shai-Lee ("my gift") are feminine elaborations. The compact sound, positive meaning, and cross-cultural echoes keep Shai both modern and timeless.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MV | Girls | 0 | #15 | 21 | 2,021 |
| BW | 0 | #19 | 1 | 960 | |
| IL | 0 | #42 | 477 | 6,291 | |
| PS | 0 | #49 | 235 | 5,692 | |
| IL | Boys | 0 | #69 | 2,395 | 10,983 |
| AF | 0 | #76 | 1 | 1,883 | |
| AO | 0 | #77 | 1 | 2,729 | |
| JP | 0 | #77 | 1 | 4,057 | |
| MV | Boys | 0 | #77 | 3 | 3,375 |
| AF | Girls | 0 | #94 | 1 | 2,402 |
| KZ | 0 | #94 | 1 | 1,452 | |
| PH | 0 | #103 | 8 | 5,607 | |
| TW | 0 | #103 | 1 | 4,523 | |
| QA | 0 | #106 | 1 | 7,011 | |
| PS | Boys | 0 | #108 | 1,092 | 10,655 |
| BN | Girls | 0 | #114 | 1 | 5,459 |
| KW | 0 | #120 | 2 | 5,216 | |
| OM | 0 | #120 | 2 | 6,215 | |
| EE | Boys | 0 | #125 | 1 | 2,087 |
| IQ | 0 | #132 | 2 | 3,533 | |
| BN | Boys | 0 | #138 | 2 | 6,332 |
| BW | Girls | 0 | #150 | 2 | 4,216 |
| BW | Boys | 0 | #154 | 1 | 4,685 |
| CR | 0 | #164 | 2 | 5,526 | |
| AE | 0 | #186 | 2 | 10,220 | |
| LU | Girls | 0 | #190 | 1 | 4,850 |
| AR | 0 | #193 | 1 | 2,915 | |
| BG | Boys | 0 | #220 | 1 | 3,850 |
| MO | Boys | 0 | #234 | 1 | 5,842 |
| BD | 0 | #241 | 1 | 5,992 | |
| GH | 0 | #248 | 1 | 5,396 | |
| NA | Boys | 0 | #253 | 1 | 6,830 |
| TW | Boys | 0 | #256 | 1 | 7,111 |
| SG | 0 | #260 | 10 | 11,010 | |
| MO | Girls | 0 | #262 | 2 | 7,056 |
| IL | Girls | 0 | #270 | 482 | 11,648 |
| Canada | Girls | 2024 | #272 | 14 | 2,795 |
| GR | Boys | 0 | #273 | 1 | 6,912 |
| AF | Boys | 0 | #274 | 1 | 3,535 |
| JM | Girls | 0 | #277 | 2 | 7,507 |
| Canada | Boys | 2024 | #286 | 21 | 2,588 |
| TW | Girls | 0 | #288 | 2 | 8,139 |
| JM | Boys | 0 | #292 | 2 | 6,876 |
| KZ | Boys | 0 | #296 | 1 | 6,578 |
| QA | Girls | 0 | #297 | 20 | 15,378 |
| JP | Boys | 0 | #302 | 2 | 7,909 |
| SA | 0 | #307 | 6 | 10,560 | |
| MY | 0 | #319 | 12 | 12,352 | |
| PS | Girls | 0 | #328 | 215 | 10,981 |
| DK | Girls | 0 | #329 | 1 | 7,429 |
| DK | Boys | 0 | #330 | 3 | 7,401 |
| PH | Girls | 0 | #330 | 61 | 13,098 |
| CN | Boys | 0 | #331 | 1 | 9,639 |
| KZ | Girls | 0 | #331 | 2 | 5,862 |
| JO | Girls | 0 | #339 | 1 | 7,570 |
| MU | Boys | 0 | #348 | 10 | 8,477 |
| HK | 0 | #357 | 1 | 8,483 | |
| GH | Boys | 0 | #358 | 4 | 8,138 |
| MU | Girls | 0 | #358 | 5 | 8,539 |
| BR | 0 | #359 | 2 | 5,969 | |
| PL | Girls | 0 | #364 | 1 | 5,096 |
| NL | 0 | #380 | 12 | 2,481 | |
| OM | Girls | 0 | #380 | 17 | 15,987 |
| YE | 0 | #398 | 1 | 8,639 | |
| BD | Girls | 0 | #403 | 4 | 8,413 |
| EG | 0 | #405 | 8 | 6,387 | |
| France | Girls | 2009 | #407 | 3 | 3,201 |
| PH | Boys | 0 | #407 | 2 | 11,440 |
| UY | Boys | 0 | #411 | 3 | 5,922 |
| France | Boys | 2014 | #414 | 4 | 2,861 |
| CL | 0 | #433 | 2 | 6,867 | |
| KW | Girls | 0 | #457 | 59 | 19,177 |
| SD | Boys | 0 | #466 | 1 | 10,523 |
| ZA | 0 | #469 | 6 | 14,421 | |
| IQ | Girls | 0 | #479 | 26 | 11,303 |
| AR | Boys | 0 | #482 | 2 | 7,628 |
| GT | Boys | 0 | #499 | 1 | 7,625 |
| PA | Boys | 0 | #504 | 2 | 9,305 |
| CO | 0 | #510 | 1 | 7,768 | |
| PA | Girls | 0 | #518 | 1 | 9,861 |
| AE | Girls | 0 | #524 | 30 | 20,968 |
| RU | Boys | 0 | #524 | 3 | 12,621 |
| UY | Girls | 0 | #535 | 2 | 6,731 |
| BH | 0 | #539 | 15 | 17,937 | |
| GT | Girls | 0 | #541 | 1 | 7,500 |
| IR | Girls | 0 | #545 | 1 | 8,334 |
| HK | Boys | 0 | #556 | 2 | 12,905 |
| LY | 0 | #559 | 1 | 12,703 | |
| BD | Boys | 0 | #563 | 14 | 10,045 |
| SG | Girls | 0 | #569 | 18 | 18,916 |
| CR | Girls | 0 | #572 | 2 | 11,342 |
| BO | Boys | 0 | #621 | 2 | 9,244 |
| AR | Girls | 0 | #625 | 6 | 8,289 |
| HK | Girls | 0 | #645 | 6 | 16,104 |
| IN | Girls | 0 | #649 | 6 | 13,121 |
| BO | Girls | 0 | #650 | 2 | 9,488 |
| IQ | Boys | 0 | #652 | 16 | 13,071 |
| Finland | Boys | 2026 | #677 | 6 | 3,552 |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #677 | 21 | 17,960 |
| United States | Boys | 2024 | #694 | 200 | 7,044 |
| CL | Boys | 0 | #694 | 7 | 13,390 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #695 | 13 | 18,093 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #741 | 29 | 18,755 |
| BR | Boys | 0 | #785 | 1 | 12,213 |
| TN | 0 | #799 | 31 | 13,765 | |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #802 | 134 | 25,931 |
| United States | Girls | 2024 | #816 | 101 | 8,487 |
| EG | Girls | 0 | #824 | 136 | 14,742 |
| NG | Girls | 0 | #826 | 1 | 15,093 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #864 | 18 | 17,948 |
| NL | Boys | 0 | #894 | 58 | 5,873 |
| EG | Boys | 0 | #917 | 9 | 15,035 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #926 | 1 | 14,506 |
| BR | Girls | 0 | #930 | 12 | 12,708 |
| MY | Girls | 0 | #938 | 57 | 24,821 |
| NL | Girls | 0 | #940 | 16 | 5,933 |
| MX | Boys | 0 | #956 | 27 | 16,355 |
| IN | Boys | 0 | #970 | 32 | 16,750 |
| Spain | Girls | 0 | #974 | 10 | 5,561 |
| MA | 0 | #983 | 146 | 20,986 | |
| NG | Boys | 0 | #996 | 6 | 16,906 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #997 | 182 | 25,619 |
| PE | Girls | 0 | #1,007 | 4 | 14,861 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,030 | 82 | 25,439 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,065 | 28 | 22,615 |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #1,071 | 71 | 25,928 |
| CO | Girls | 0 | #1,149 | 4 | 16,140 |
| DZ | 0 | #1,165 | 12 | 20,130 | |
| TR | 0 | #1,254 | 1 | 19,440 | |
| MX | Girls | 0 | #1,261 | 7 | 17,781 |
| IT | Girls | 0 | #1,427 | 20 | 9,415 |
| IT | Boys | 0 | #1,448 | 24 | 10,046 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,529 | 86 | 28,008 |
Shai is popular in 66 countries — most recent births per country:
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