שַׁי
Shai means “gift”
Shai is a name for girls and boys, of Hebrew origin.
- In Hebrew
- שַׁי
- On an ID card
- שי
- In English letters
- Shai
- Other English spellings
- Shay, Shy
- Other Hebrew spellings
- שיי
- Meaning
- Gift
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Given to
- Girls and boys
- Gematria value
- 310
33,986 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Shai.
- 8,081 of them are women and girls, and 25,905 are men and boys.
- 842 of them were born in 1983, more than in any other year.
- Carriers born 2020 to 2024: 2,088, against 2,162 born 2010 to 2014, so its share of births is about the same.
- The total includes the other Hebrew spellings the register counts separately: שיי. The chart shows the spelling שי alone.
Central Bureau of Statistics register, April 2025. People who changed their name are counted under the one they carry now, and a year with fewer than five shows as zero.
This is how Shai is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling שי today, in each population group and sex the register lists for it. The rank counts the names given in 2024, and 1 is the most given. A count under 5 is not published, so the table says “fewer than 5”, and 0 means nobody.
| Population group | Carriers | Born in 2024 | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish girls | 8,050 | 230 | 77 of 678 |
| Jewish boys | 25,878 | 125 | 128 of 541 |
| Muslim boys | 16 | 0 | – |
In 2024, Shai ranked 128 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Source: the Central Bureau of Statistics table of current first names of people born 1949 to 2024, by sex and population group (release 391/2025 of 8 December 2025, read on 2 November 2026). Groups and sexes with no row for this spelling are left out.
These six names are close to Shai in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Shai.
What does the name Shai mean?
Shai means “gift”. Shai is a name for girls and boys, of Hebrew origin.
Is Shai a boy's name or a girl's name?
Shai is used for both girls and boys. Of the 33,986 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 8,081 are women and girls and 25,905 are men and boys.
How do you write Shai in Hebrew?
Shai is written שי in Hebrew. With vowel points it is written שַׁי. The register also counts these other Hebrew spellings: שיי.
How many people in Israel are named Shai?
33,986 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Shai today. The most were born in 1983. In 2024, Shai ranked 128 of 541 among the names given to Jewish boys.
Counts are Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 who carry the name today, from the Central Bureau of Statistics register of April 2025. Meanings follow the standard etymologies of Hebrew name references, and where nobody can be sure the page says so.