Si

♂ Boy

Pronounced SEE /ˈsiː/Low

Meaning: Si has two honest routes. As a Vietnamese name it renders the element read as 'scholar' or 'learned one,' a mark of the educated. As an English name it is a short form of Simon, Silas or Cyrus, in which use it is often said with the long-i sound sy.Low

In 30 seconds: Si is a short name with two roots: a Vietnamese name meaning 'scholar,' or an English short form of Simon, Silas or Cyrus. It appears thinly in US records over many decades (said SEE, or SY in English use).

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Origin LowVietnamese, English

MeaningSi has two honest routes. As a Vietnamese name it renders the element read as 'scholar' or 'learned one,' a mark of the educated. As an English name it is a short form of Simon, Silas or Cyrus, in which use it is often said with the long-i sound sy.

U.S. rank (2017)#12008 ↗ Rising

2017 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2013

Total births (all-time)≈ 166

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Si is best explained by its two paths. In Vietnamese it carries the sense of 'scholar' or 'learned one'; in English it serves as a short form of Simon, Silas or Cyrus. The pronunciation follows the route - see for the Vietnamese, sy for the English clip.

It was never common, given to only about fifteen boys a year at its peak, with scattered records across the twentieth century reflecting both its Vietnamese and its English uses. Its bearers span very different naming traditions.

Did you know? As a two-letter name Si travels light, and its meaning depends entirely on the family: a Vietnamese household reads it as 'scholar,' while an English speaker may treat it as a clip of Simon or Silas.

Overall data confidence 40%

References - Si — Two honest routes: Vietnamese Si 'scholar' and English short form of Simon/Silas/Cyrus; TTS-safe respelling; plain-Latin only.

Variations

SySieSriSimonSilas

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

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If you like Si…

Silas— a name Si can shorten in English use

Simon— another full name behind the English Si

Cyrus— a further source for the English short form

Levi— a short biblical boy's name of similar brevity

Explore names like Si

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Si mean?

It is either a Vietnamese name meaning 'scholar, learned one' or an English short form of Simon, Silas or Cyrus.

How do you pronounce Si?

It is said SEE /ˈsiː/ in Vietnamese use, or SY as an English short form - one syllable.

Is Si a boy or girl name?

Si is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Si?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak, across both its Vietnamese and English uses.