Given name & surname
Isai
“God is salvation”·“God is my salvation”
Isai is a variant of Isaiah. Interpretations include “God is salvation” (Hebrew) and “God is my salvation” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Isai is a variant of Isaiah. Interpretations include “God is salvation” (Hebrew) and “God is my salvation” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Isai is a variant of Isaiah. An origin associated with Isaiah is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1966. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Isai through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,385
- 7,340 boys · 45 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 333 babies
- 2025
- 197
- #1,139 for boys · #9,099 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −1%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 186 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,139 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 2.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 333 in 2007. It also appeared in 11 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (31). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 6,568 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.
Isai’s family of names
In German usage, Isai has a related form in Jesse. Isai has a related form in Isaiah. In Greek usage, Isai as a surname is a transliteration of Ισάι.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Isai
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Isai, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Issaih
>99% boys
Cian
“from an ancient family”
>99% boys
Yoni
“dove” · “God has given”
>99% boys
Ishant
>99% boys
Iker
“a visitor”
>99% boys
Isahia
>99% boys
Cristian
“an anointed Christian”
>99% boys
Rishab
“one who is musically talented”
>99% boys