Shai
- Gender
- Unisex
- Say it
- SHY
- Origin
- Hebrew
- UK rank, 2025
- #1,859 for boys
- US rank, 2025
- #1,030 for boys
Unisex
Shai is a name of Hebrew origin, meaning “gift”. In 2025 it ranked 1,859th for boys in the UK (14 babies) and 1,030th for boys in the US (215 babies).
What does Shai mean?
Hebrew
“gift”
Hebrew for gift, a name used in Israel for both boys and girls.
Is Shai a girl's or a boy's name?
In recent years, Shai has been given to both girls and boys. In 2025, it was given to 6 girls and 14 boys in the UK and 78 girls and 215 boys in the US.
How popular is Shai in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #1,859among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 14about 1 in 21,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadyup 11% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 14 boys in the UK were named Shai, making it the 1,859th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1,829th. Its busiest year was 2012, with 25 boys. 6 girls were also named Shai in 2025 (3,776th for girls).
Half of all the boys named Shai in the UK since 1996 were born between 2005 and 2018. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
In 1996, 56% of the babies named Shai in the UK were girls. By 2025 it was 30%, with more boys than girls since 2002.
Among boys in 2025, it was 1,795th in England and Wales.
Shai in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | #1,859 |
| 2024 | 18 | #1,528 |
| 2023 | 9 | #2,468 |
| 2022 | 15 | #1,708 |
| 2021 | 18 | #1,481 |
| 2020 | 13 | #1,829 |
| 2019 | 9 | #2,399 |
| 2018 | 15 | #1,715 |
| 2017 | 10 | #2,306 |
| 2016 | 11 | #2,143 |
| 2015 | 14 | #1,779 |
| 2014 | 14 | #1,743 |
| 2013 | 25 | #1,139 |
| 2012 | 25 | #1,166 |
| 2011 | 14 | #1,697 |
| 2010 | 22 | #1,245 |
| 2009 | 15 | #1,582 |
| 2008 | 20 | #1,294 |
| 2007 | 20 | #1,257 |
| 2006 | 15 | #1,423 |
| 2005 | 13 | #1,522 |
| 2004 | 11 | #1,583 |
| 2003 | 16 | #1,163 |
| 2002 | 10 | #1,490 |
| 2001 | 8 | #1,690 |
| 2000 | 11 | #1,308 |
| 1999 | 11 | #1,267 |
| 1998 | 12 | #1,180 |
| 1997 | 7 | #1,678 |
| 1996 | 7 | #1,652 |
How popular is Shai in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #1,030among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 215about 1 in 7,900 boys
- Five-year trend
- Rising fastup 118% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 215 boys in the US were named Shai, making it the 1,030th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1,437th. Its busiest year was 2023, with 224 boys. It first appears in the records in 1971. 78 girls were also named Shai in 2025 (2,326th for girls).
Half of all the boys named Shai in the US since 1880 were born between 2007 and 2023, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 1992, 61% of the babies named Shai in the US were girls. By 2025 it was 27%, with more boys than girls since 2007.
Shai in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 215 | #1,030 |
| 2024 | 200 | #1,087 |
| 2023 | 224 | #977 |
| 2022 | 219 | #1,015 |
| 2021 | 199 | #1,071 |
| 2020 | 120 | #1,437 |
| 2019 | 98 | #1,652 |
| 2018 | 75 | #1,958 |
| 2017 | 66 | #2,090 |
| 2016 | 52 | #2,437 |
| 2015 | 50 | #2,485 |
| 2014 | 35 | #3,152 |
| 2013 | 50 | #2,460 |
| 2012 | 55 | #2,325 |
| 2011 | 44 | #2,698 |
| 2010 | 45 | #2,681 |
| 2009 | 45 | #2,701 |
| 2008 | 55 | #2,344 |
| 2007 | 42 | #2,810 |
| 2006 | 34 | #3,152 |
| 2005 | 27 | #3,524 |
| 2004 | 33 | #3,010 |
| 2003 | 34 | #2,843 |
| 2002 | 35 | #2,681 |
| 2001 | 23 | #3,612 |
| 2000 | 26 | #3,213 |
| 1999 | 17 | #4,157 |
| 1998 | 27 | #2,923 |
| 1997 | 25 | #2,976 |
| 1996 | 28 | #2,674 |
| 1995 | 38 | #2,135 |
| 1994 | 40 | #2,036 |
| 1993 | 44 | #1,870 |
| 1992 | 12 | #4,556 |
| 1991 | 7 | #6,511 |
| 1990 | 16 | #3,601 |
| 1989 | 8 | #5,608 |
| 1988 | 8 | #5,194 |
| 1987 | 10 | #4,233 |
| 1986 | 5 | #6,715 |
| 1985 | 8 | #4,693 |
| 1984 | 11 | #3,698 |
| 1983 | 7 | #4,904 |
| 1982 | 7 | #5,001 |
| 1981 | 9 | #4,151 |
| 1980 | 7 | #4,938 |
| 1979 | 7 | #4,840 |
| 1978 | 0 | – |
| 1977 | 0 | – |
| 1976 | 8 | #4,010 |
| 1975 | 0 | – |
| 1974 | 7 | #4,188 |
| 1973 | 0 | – |
| 1972 | 5 | #4,983 |
| 1971 | 7 | #3,961 |
Names like Shai
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Avi Aarav Shiv Shivansh Veer Musa Dhruv Ayaan Yahya Bodhi Ivaan Vihaan
Names related to Shai
More Hebrew names
Noah Isabella Elijah James Jack Mia Ava Jude Ezra Benjamin Isaac Jacob Ethan Daniel Samuel Elias
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Shai: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/shai, updated 20 October 2026.