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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Kai — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Kahzi|Kaia
English◈ Unisex · 56% boy · 44% girl→ Stable

◈= unisex (gender-neutral)

Kai

◈

KY · 1 syllables

Share Kai:
Compare with another name
Boy
#76
→ Stable
Boy
#76
Popularity score: 56
→ Stable
Peak
#59 in 2022
5yr
-15 ranks
Velocity
-15
Birth frequency
11.9 per 10,000 births
Girl
#1133
Popularity score: 29
↓ Fading
Peak
#769 in 2021
5yr
-193 ranks
Velocity
-193
Birth frequency
5.9 per 100,000 births

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

BOY
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #76 · Rising since 2020

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
English boy names
Kai

Popularity score: 56  ·  SSA Rank: #76

GIRL
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #1133 · Falling since 2020

All US girl names
Top 200 girl names
English girl names
Kai

Popularity score: 29  ·  SSA Rank: #1133

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
63
Classic name. Score reflects popularity — see Popularity tab for full context.
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
→ Stable
-15 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Unknown
— · — · —
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
55
0 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Kai scores well on meaning depth but there are tradeoffs — the popularity trend is fading.

Meaning Depth37% of score
87
Name Trend28% of score
44
Uniqueness20% of score
55
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
NatureHawaiianJapaneseUnisex1-syllableOceanModernMinimalist
Character
connection to water and nature
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Kais

determineddedicatedtalentedversatiledynamic
STRONG
High confidence

Kai is an English unisex name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #76 in the US in 2024.

Trend:→ Stable · -15 ranks
Feasibility:— · — · —
Popularity:#76 · common
Kai at a Glance
Meaning:The sea in Hawaiian; also means 'shell' or 'opening' in Japanese. A name deeply connected to ocean, nature, and natural elements.
Language root:Hawaiian · Japanese
Peak rank:#59 in 2022
5yr change:-15 ranks
Sex usage:Boy #76 · Girl #1133
Notable bearers
Kai Greene
Professional bodybuilder
Kai Sotto
Filipino basketball player
Kai Lenny
Professional surfer
Similar Sound
KeaSky◈Cy◈Rey◈Ty◈Jai◈
Similar Style
LeviZephyr◈Sage◈River◈Soren◈Orion◈
Works well with
LenaZoeNova◈Ezra◈Milo◈IrisAtlas◈Cleo◈
You Might Also Like
Levi
Hebrew · #12
→ Stable
Zephyr◈
Greek · #1133
→ Stable
River◈
English · #112
→ Stable
Soren◈
Scandinavian · #571
→ Stable
Orion◈
Mythological · #325
↑ Rising
Jack
English · #15
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Kai illustration
Name Intelligence
Kai · Overview
Summary

Kai is an English unisex name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #76 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 28/100 ↓ Fading

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Kai scores 63/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Works for any sex
56% boy · 44% girl. A genuinely unisex name is rare at this level of distinctiveness.
Nature · Modern character
Kai carries a cool, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Already in the top 100
At rank #76, you will likely encounter other Kais. Consider whether that matters to you.
Explore

Add to watchlists or your list with + Save next to the name above.

Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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