NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Isai

Hebrew name meaning "he will praise" or "he will celebrate".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Isai is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Isai popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3254, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 6 births.

This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2018 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Isai is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 16 living people in the UK are called Isai. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Isai ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 6 boys were registered as Isai.
  • About 16 living people in the UK are estimated to have Isai as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3254

2024

Births in 2024

6

Latest year

Peak year

2024

6 births

Estimated living

16

2026

Meaning

What does Isai mean?

The name Isai has its roots in Hebrew and Arabic origins. It is derived from the Hebrew name Yishay or Yishai, which means "gift of God" or "God's gift." This name can be traced back to the Old Testament, where it was borne by the father of King David.

In the Bible, Isai (also spelled as Jesse) was a respected man from Bethlehem who belonged to the tribe of Judah. He was the son of Obed and the father of eight sons, including David, who later became the king of Israel. Isai's story is mentioned in the Books of Samuel and Chronicles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Isai can be found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date back to the 3rd century BCE. These ancient Hebrew texts contain references to individuals bearing this name.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who carried the name Isai. One of the most famous was Isai Musakhan (1564-1624), an Armenian poet and writer who is considered a pioneer of modern Armenian literature.

Another notable Isai was Isai Gasprinsky (1851-1914), a Crimean Tatar educator, writer, and political activist who played a significant role in the cultural and intellectual awakening of the Turkic people in the Russian Empire.

In the world of sports, Isai Rodriguez (born 1981) is a former professional boxer from Mexico who competed in the lightweight division and won multiple titles during his career.

Isai Ravyse (born 1972) is a Belgian author and playwright known for his works that explore themes of identity, memory, and human relationships.

Isai Weinfeld (1856-1943) was a Russian architect who designed several notable buildings in Moscow and St. Petersburg, including the famous Yaroslavsky Railway Station.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Isai over time

The chart below shows babies named Isai registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2018 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Isai, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Isai
02356201820212024

Decades

Isai by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Isai was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #3990 13 3
2010s #4749 3 1

Related

Names similar to Isai

FAQ

Isai: questions and answers

How popular is the name Isai in the UK right now?

In 2024, Isai was ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.

When was Isai most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 6 babies registered as Isai in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Isai?

Hebrew name meaning "he will praise" or "he will celebrate".

How many people are called Isai in the UK?

A total of 16 babies have been registered as Isai across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.