Origin, Meaning, And History Of Shi
Shi is a gender neutral name of Chinese origin. It is derived from the Chinese character 时 (shi) meaning ‘time,’ ‘era,’ or ‘season.’ There are other meanings too depending on the characters used. For example, the character 实 (shi) means ‘real’ or ‘honest.’ Meanwhile, the character 石 (shi) means ‘stone.’ As a Chinese last name, it was one of the Nine Sogdian surnames.
Shi is also a Korean surname. It is used rarely as a part of a two-syllable Korean first name.
The Chinese name Shi is spelled (or read) differently in other languages. In Korean, it is spelled as Seok or Suk. Seok means ‘stone’ or ‘tin’ in Sino-Korean according to the hanja used. Suk is an alternate Korean Hangual transcription. Meanwhile, in Japanese, Shi is read as Fumi or Minoru. Fumi means ‘writing’ or ‘history’ in Japanese (according to the kanji used). Additionally, Minoru means ‘to bear fruit.’
Apart from these origins and meanings, Shi is also considered to be a diminutive of Shiloh. Shiloh is derived from a place name in the Old Testament. It means ‘tranquil’ in Hebrew.
In popular culture, the name appears asShi (Ana Ishikawa), a creation of writer and illustrator William Tucci that exists solely within the pages of comic books. Initially introduced in Razor Annual #1 back in 1993, she has since been featured in several publications from a variety of publishers, with notable appearances in Tucci’s Crusade Comics and the Image Universe. A character named Mr Shi also appears in Yiyun Li’s debut work of fiction,A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, a compilation of short stories. This book marks the author’s first foray into the realm of fiction. Notably, two of the stories featured within the collection have been adapted into films.Shi Enis a fictional character found in the literary classic Water Margin, which is considered one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.
How To Pronounce Shi?
Famous People With The Name Shi
- Domee ShiCanadian filmmaker, known for directing the movie Turning Red
- Shi YaoChinese ice hockey player, known for being a part of the women’s national ice hockey team in the Olympics
- Shih Kien (Shek Wing-cheung)Chinese actor, known for his role in Enter the Dragon
- Shi-Yeon SungSouth Korean classical conductor, known as the first woman to win the Sir Georg Solti International Conductors’ Competition prize
- Yoon Shi-yoonSouth Korean actor, known for his roles in King of Baking, Kim Takgu; My Cute Guys; and Train
Shi On The Popularity Chart
Shi has seen some ups and downs in popularity in the US. Take a look at these SSA graphs to know more.
Popularity Over Time
Though the name has been around since 1980, it has never been very popular. In 1980, only 5 babies per million were given this name and in 2015, 11 babies per million were named Shi.
Source:Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Shi has gone down in ranking since the 80s. In 2015, it ranked 26,548.
Source:Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Shi
Shi is a short and sweet name. If you liked the sound of this name, here are some other options for you.
Popular Sibling Names For Shi
Other Popular Names Beginning With S
Names With Similar Meaning As Shi
If the deep meaning of Shi caught your attention, here are some other names with similar meanings. Take a look.
Infographic: Know The Name’s Personality As Per Numerology
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
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How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
In Nautical Flags
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In Sign Language
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In Braille Alphabet
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In Morse Code
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Name Numerology For Shi
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Shi?
The name Shi means time, era, season, real, stone, and history.
2. What is the origin of the name Shi?
Shi has a Hebrew origin.
