The name Isai is of Hebrew origin and means "salvation." It is a variation of the name Isaiah, which appears in the Old Testament of the Bible as the name of a prophet who lived during the reign of King Uzziah of Judah.
Isai was a common name among the Jews in biblical times, but it fell out of fashion after the period of the Second Temple. However, it has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years, particularly among Jewish families looking for unique and meaningful names for their children.
In addition to its biblical origins, Isai is also associated with the Spanish poet and playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca, who wrote an auto sacramental (a type of religious play) called "El Isaí," which is based on the story of King David's ancestor Isai. This work helped to popularize the name in Spain and throughout Latin America.
Today, Isai is still a relatively uncommon name, but it continues to be used by families who appreciate its biblical significance and unique sound. It is often spelled with either an "s" or a "z" after the first syllable (as in "Isai" or "Izai"), depending on regional preferences and cultural traditions.
The name Isai has seen a significant increase in popularity over the years in the United States. According to the statistics provided, there were only 6 births with the name Isai each year from 1966 to 1973. However, starting from 1975, there was an uptick in its usage, with 7 births that year.
The trend continued to rise steadily throughout the late 70s and early 80s, reaching a new peak of 27 births in 1981. This popularity was maintained throughout the mid-80s, with around 30-40 births each year between 1985 and 1988.
The name Isai reached its highest point of popularity in the late 90s to early 2000s, with over 200 births per year from 1999 to 2003. The peak was reached in 2002 with a total of 245 births.
Since then, while still popular, the name Isai has experienced a gradual decrease in usage. There were around 160-200 births each year from 2004 to 2009, and this number continued to decline through the early 2010s, reaching a low of 168 births in 2014.
However, recent years have seen a slight resurgence in popularity for the name Isai. There were 195 births in 2017, 193 in 2018, and 207 in 2019. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there were still 161 births with the name Isai in 2020, and this number rose again to 168 in 2021.
In total, over the period from 1966 to 2023, there have been a total of 6947 births with the name Isai in the United States. These statistics demonstrate that while popularity has fluctuated over time, the name Isai remains a popular choice for parents across several decades.