Chi
From the Wade-Giles romanization of the Mandarin Chinese 齊 / 齐 (Qí).
Every Chi since 1970 — 1,326 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Chi
Chi is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,596 in 2025 with 17 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1970, 1,326 American babies have been named Chi — about 58% girls and 42% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1982, when 48 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Chi stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Chi year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | #6,596 | 9 | #8,379 |
| 2024 | 18 | #6,454 | 15 | #5,960 |
| 2023 | 32 | #4,384 | 15 | #5,987 |
| 2022 | 21 | #5,822 | 14 | #6,210 |
| 2021 | 26 | #4,989 | 10 | #7,715 |
| 2020 | 17 | #6,692 | 14 | #6,034 |
| 2019 | 18 | #6,479 | 11 | #7,261 |
| 2018 | 7 | #12,767 | 6 | #11,026 |
| 2017 | 12 | #8,914 | 10 | #7,670 |
| 2016 | 9 | #11,067 | — | — |
| 2015 | 10 | #10,300 | — | — |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,300 | — | — |
| 2013 | 6 | #15,023 | 6 | #10,987 |
| 2012 | 11 | #9,868 | — | — |
| 2011 | 8 | #12,416 | 5 | #12,618 |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | 12 | #9,520 | 7 | #10,060 |
| 2008 | 5 | #18,117 | 7 | #10,049 |
| 2007 | — | — | 6 | #11,157 |
| 2006 | — | — | 8 | #8,867 |
| 2005 | 15 | #7,593 | 8 | #8,424 |
| 2004 | 8 | #11,835 | 9 | #7,637 |
| 2003 | 5 | #16,282 | 7 | #8,815 |
| 2002 | 5 | #15,952 | 9 | #7,145 |
| 2001 | 8 | #11,225 | 12 | #5,731 |
| 2000 | 7 | #12,057 | 7 | #8,334 |
| 1995 | — | — | 12 | #4,840 |
| 1990 | 24 | #4,144 | 12 | #4,449 |
| 1985 | 16 | #4,665 | 24 | #2,236 |
| 1980 | 25 | #3,339 | 12 | #3,449 |
| 1975 | 20 | #3,418 | 10 | #3,477 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,197 | 6 | #4,317 |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Chi
- Chi McBride Actor · b. 1961
- Chi Cheng Athlete · b. 1944
- Chi Cheng Musician · 1970–2013
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Chi mean?
From the Wade-Giles romanization of the Mandarin Chinese 齊 / 齐 (Qí).
How popular is the name Chi in 2025?
Chi ranked #6,596 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 17 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Chi?
1,326 babies have been named Chi in the United States since 1970, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Chi most popular?
Chi peaked in 1982, when 48 newborns received the name.
Is Chi a boy or girl name?
Chi is used for both: about 58% of babies named Chi have been girls and 42% boys.
Is the name Chi rising or falling?
Chi is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Chi?
Well-known people named Chi include Chi McBride (actor), Chi Cheng (athlete), Chi Cheng (musician).