ישי
Yishai means “gift, or God exists”
Yishai is a boy's name of Biblical origin.
Father of King David.
- In Hebrew
- ישי
- In English letters
- Yishai
- Other English spellings
- Ishai, Ishay, Jesse
- Meaning
- Gift, or God exists
- Origin
- Biblical
- Given to
- Boys
- Themes
- From the Bible
- Gematria value
- 320
12,838 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Yishai.
- 65 of them are women and girls, and 12,773 are men and boys.
- 526 of them were born in 2020, more than in any other year.
- Carriers born 2020 to 2024: 2,463, against 1,959 born 2010 to 2014, so its share of births is about the same.
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 Yishai is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling ישי 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 | 65 | 0 | – |
| Jewish boys | 12,773 | 470 | 36 of 541 |
In 2024, Yishai ranked 36 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 Yishai in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Yishai.
What does the name Yishai mean?
Yishai means “gift, or God exists”. Yishai is a boy's name of Biblical origin. Father of King David.
Is Yishai a boy's name or a girl's name?
Yishai is mainly a boy's name. Of the 12,838 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 65 are women and girls and 12,773 are men and boys.
How do you write Yishai in Hebrew?
Yishai is written ישי in Hebrew.
How many people in Israel are named Yishai?
12,838 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Yishai today. The most were born in 2020. In 2024, Yishai ranked 36 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.