Shai is a Hebrew name that means "gift", a short, modern Israeli name that works equally well for boys and girls. In North America it has become familiar through NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The name rose steadily in the United States from number 2521 in 2015 into the top 1000 at number 983 in 2023 and stands at number 1032 among boys in 2025.