Yishai

Yishai - A very unique male name

Yishai appeared on the charts for the first time in 2000 on position #3316. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Yishai and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Yishai? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Yishai. The baby boy name Yishai was given to 22 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2368 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 66,649 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Yishai peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 2368.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Yishai, 1-5?

Yishai is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Yishai is currently topping the baby name charts in New Jersey at position #911 - and is the least popular in New York at position #912.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Yishai is where you live.

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Yishai origin and meaning

Hebrew — Biblical

The Hebrew form of Jesse; its meaning is disputed — traditionally read as 'gift', but the derivation is not secure

Yishai is the Hebrew Bible's Jesse, father of King David. English Bibles render him Jesse; Israeli use keeps Yishai. Claims for its meaning range from 'gift' to 'God exists', none provable, so it stays uncertain. US use began in 2000 and peaked in 2025.

Origin uncertain

Yishai is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Yishai, pop culture references for the name Yishai and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Yishai

We've found the following names that sound similar to Yishai, sorted by popularity.

Yehoshua / Yash / Yeshua / Yoshio / Yeshaya / Yossi / Yukio / Yug / Yasuo / Yuki /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Yishai

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Yishai a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Yishai?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

yee-SHY · /jiˈʃaɪ/

Around the world

• Yishai (Hebrew) — The original Hebrew form.
• Jesse (English) — The standard English form of the same name.

Spellings and nicknames

• Jesse — The English form; a separate established name.
• Ishai — A simplified transliteration.

Famous bearers

• Yishai (Jesse) — Father of King David in the Hebrew Bible (Biblical) Historical

Style

BiblicalInternational

Why parents choose it

Jesse in his original Hebrew form — a roots-forward Biblical choice at its US peak.

Worth knowing

• English speakers will default to Jesse once they hear the story, and misread the spelling first.