Itai
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{{Orphan|date=October 2006}}
{{Otheruses4|the biblical name|the city in São Paulo state, [[Brazil]]|Itaí|the sumo wrestler|Keisuke Itai}}
'''Itai''' (''ee-tai'') is a [[the bible|biblical]] name. Itai was one of [[King David]]'s army Generals. He was not [[Jewish]], but rather a [[Philistine]] (plishti - an ancient people that lived in the [[land of Israel]]) from the city of [[Gath (city)|Gath]], next to [[Ashkelon]]. When David flees from Absolom, he tells Itai that it is wiser not to follow him, but Itai chooses to go with David and his household anyway. The name can also be written: Ittai, Etay, Itay, Ytai, Etai, or Eatai. The name translates loosely as "friendly."<ref>[http://judaism.about.com/od/hebrewname1/tp/names_bi.htm Hebrew Names for Boys beginning with I - Naming a Jewish Baby<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In recent years it is also a one of the most common names for boys in [[Israel]].
Sometimes, in order to strengthen the connection of the [[Land of Israel]] of a baby who was converted to [[Judaism]], or to bless a [[Judaism|Jewish]] person who became very ill, it is acceptable to change their name to Itai. This name is often explained as an [[acronym]] of "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning" (Psalms, 137:5)- "'''א'''ם אשכחך '''י'''רושלים, '''ת'''שכח '''י'''מיני" ("'''I'''m Eshkakhekh '''Y'''erushalaiym '''T'''ishkakh '''Y'''emini") or "[[Land of Israel]], [[Torah]] of [[Israel]]"- "'''א'''רץ '''י'''שראל, '''ת'''ורת '''י'''שראל" ("'''E'''retz '''Y'''israel, '''T'''orat '''Y'''israel").
==Itai==
'''Itai''' is a [[Shona]] name, pronounced ("ee-ta-i"). It is usually a boy's name depending on the actual spelling used. For boys it is usually spelt "Itai" and for girls it is spelt 'Itayi". There is not much general difference in the two but a slight heaviness in the female version to emphasise the "y". But in the popular teenage culture of [[Zimbabwe]] this slight difference is often ignored.
The word itself loosely translates to "will" or "do as you/we please". Exact meaning is subjective, positive or negative. The First, positive, meaning is that of a proud person/family with free will. The second, negative, meaning is that of a persecuted person/family surrendering their will to their persecutor. Whether the first or the second meaning is implied is usually dictated by a person's family background. Those born into good fortune usually bear the positive whilst those born into poverty usually bear the negative.
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[[Category:Hebrew Bible people]]
[[Category:Given names]]
{{Tanakh-stub}}
[[he:איתי]]