Total births
2,469
Unisex name · since 1971
Shai
Shai has 2,469 recorded births since 1971 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2023 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1089
- among boys today
- 2,469
- born since 1971
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Shai currently ranks #1089 among unisex names in America, with 2,469 babies recorded since 1971.
Social Security Administration records show Shai recorded 2,469 times among boys since 1971, holding rank #1089 nationally today, ahead of 92% of boys, peaking in the 2020s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2025.
- #1089 among boys today
- 2,469 born since 1971
- 2020s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shai is currently the #1089 unisex name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 2,469 born since 1971, peaking in the 2020s.
- #1089
- among boys today
- 2,469
- born since 1971
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Shai vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1089
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
48% of everyone ever named Shai was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
224 babies were named Shai in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Shai compares
2,469 Top 19% higher than 81% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Shai's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shai | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,469 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 224 | 23 | 22,252 |
Shai's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shai splits its recorded history at 2000: 85% of all births land in the more recent half, 15% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1972 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2023 peak of 224 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shai at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#1,089
Active since
1971
Shai popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 224
- Annual births at peak, across 55 years of records
Shai popularity over time - girls
1,871 total births recorded since 1968 (Shai as girls' name)
Shai by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Shai's strongest decade.
1,177 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 48% of all-time use.
Shai births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 34
1970s
34 births
- 1980s 80
1980s
80 births
- 1990s 254
1990s
254 births
- 2000s 354
2000s
354 births
- 2010s
2010s
570 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,177 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 1,177 births (48% of all-time use).
How Shai compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Shai's total volume
Shai vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Shai by state
Where Shai concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 324 | 13.1% |
| #2 | New York | | 324 | 13.1% |
| #3 | Florida | | 143 | 5.8% |
| #4 | Texas | | 86 | 3.5% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 82 | 3.3% |
| #6 | New Jersey | | 76 | 3.1% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 59 | 2.4% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 43 | 1.7% |
California share of Shai's total US births 13.1%
Even split
324 of 2,469 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Shai appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shai? ▼
Shai has been given to 2,469 babies in the U.S. since 1971, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1089 as of the latest data. 224 babies were born in 2023, its single highest year.
When was Shai most popular? ▼
Shai was most popular in the 2020s decade with 1,177 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Shai most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shai are California (324 births), New York (324 births), Florida (143 births).
Is Shai a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Shai is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 2,469 births, and as a girl's name it has 1,871 births.
How long has the name Shai been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shai since 1971 -- 55 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Shai? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Shawn, Shane, Shaun, Shannon, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Shai's data
- California records the most Shais (324 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shai
Nearby Names Like Shai
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shai
Shawn Boy
#637 306,542 births
Shane Boy
#601 192,583 births
Shaun Boy
#1567 70,481 births
Shannon Boy
#2597 52,379 births
Shayne Boy
#4006 10,741 births
Compare Shai side by side: Shai vs Shawn Shai vs Shane Shai vs Shaun
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shai
Montgomery #1088
5,701 births · Peak 2025
Dhruv #1090
4,474 births · Peak 2019
Gordon #1087
154,909 births · Peak 1952
Jream #1091
646 births · Peak 2024
Koah #1086
1,279 births · Peak 2025
Tylan #1092
3,908 births · Peak 2024
Kooper #1085
4,012 births · Peak 2022
Zakari #1093
2,472 births · Peak 2023
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1971–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shai: #1089 Unisex Name - 2,469 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shai. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Shai draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.