Given name
Abishai
“a gift from God”
Abishai is a variant of Abisha. One Hebrew interpretation is “a gift from God.”
Original Hebrewאבישי
Meaning & origin
What it means
Abishai is a variant of Abisha. One Hebrew interpretation is “a gift from God.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Abishai is a variant of Abisha. An origin associated with Abisha is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Possibly from the Hebrew noun 'ab (אב), “father,” and the Hebrew word shay (שי), “a gift.”
From biblical name research
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1995. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Abishai appears in 2 Samuel 10:10, 1 Samuel 26:6.
- 2 Samuel 10:10
- 1 Samuel 26:6
From biblical name research
Abishai through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 359
- 333 boys · 26 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 25 babies
- 2025
- 16
- #5,609 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +39%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 16 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,609 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 39.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 292 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Abishai’s family of names
Abishai has a related form in Abisha.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
See also 44
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Abigailshares a root
- Abramshares a root
- Abnershares a root
- Abielshares a root
- Joabshares a root
- Eliabshares a root
- Jobshares a root
- Abimaelshares a root
Show 36 moreShow fewer
- Abbashares a root
- Abijahshares a root
- Abishares a root
- Abinershares a root
- Abiahshares a root
- Abiramshares a root
- Abinadabshares a root
- Abiashares a root
- Abihailshares a root
- Abiezershares a root
- Abidanshares a root
- Abidashares a root
- Absalomshares a root
- Abiudshares a root
- Abishagshares a root
- Abinoamshares a root
- Abimelechshares a root
- Abijamshares a root
- Abihudshares a root
- Abihushares a root
- Abiatharshares a root
- Abiasaphshares a root
- Abi-Albonshares a root
- Oholiabshares a root
- Moabshares a root
- Huram-abishares a root
- Chileabshares a root
- Ben-abinadabshares a root
- Bebaishares a root
- Barabbasshares a root
- Ahabshares a root
- Abitubshares a root
- Abitalshares a root
- Abishurshares a root
- Abishuashares a root
- Abishalomshares a root
Similar names
If you love Abishai, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.