Kai
A unisex given name from the Germanic languages, of modern usage.
Every Kai since 1926 — 78,710 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kai
Kai is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #93 in 2025 with 3,768 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1926, 78,710 American babies have been named Kai — about 89% boys and 11% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2022, when 5,732 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Kai stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kai 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 | 234 | #1,054 | 3,768 | #93 |
| 2024 | 214 | #1,132 | 4,301 | #76 |
| 2023 | 282 | #940 | 4,976 | #61 |
| 2022 | 358 | #791 | 5,374 | #59 |
| 2021 | 371 | #770 | 4,641 | #70 |
| 2020 | 344 | #793 | 3,867 | #93 |
| 2019 | 338 | #809 | 3,744 | #100 |
| 2018 | 318 | #854 | 3,463 | #112 |
| 2017 | 338 | #809 | 3,158 | #126 |
| 2016 | 320 | #879 | 2,895 | #145 |
| 2015 | 311 | #888 | 2,852 | #145 |
| 2014 | 270 | #989 | 2,411 | #177 |
| 2013 | 282 | #906 | 1,983 | #199 |
| 2012 | 281 | #919 | 1,938 | #197 |
| 2011 | 294 | #889 | 1,790 | #202 |
| 2010 | 268 | #955 | 1,750 | #205 |
| 2009 | 235 | #1,086 | 1,759 | #213 |
| 2008 | 234 | #1,105 | 1,609 | #229 |
| 2007 | 210 | #1,200 | 1,399 | #252 |
| 2006 | 180 | #1,301 | 1,451 | #238 |
| 2005 | 185 | #1,232 | 1,413 | #239 |
| 2004 | 164 | #1,305 | 1,324 | #249 |
| 2003 | 148 | #1,367 | 1,217 | #264 |
| 2002 | 158 | #1,255 | 1,108 | #276 |
| 2001 | 128 | #1,471 | 718 | #370 |
| 2000 | 131 | #1,416 | 622 | #403 |
| 1995 | 81 | #1,778 | 357 | #535 |
| 1990 | 51 | #2,415 | 124 | #928 |
| 1985 | 33 | #2,827 | 99 | #915 |
| 1980 | 64 | #1,739 | 83 | #994 |
| 1975 | 41 | #2,111 | 58 | #1,109 |
| 1970 | 21 | #3,153 | 58 | #1,074 |
| 1965 | 15 | #3,324 | 33 | #1,347 |
| 1960 | 7 | #5,411 | 20 | #1,842 |
| 1955 | — | — | 22 | #1,662 |
| 1950 | — | — | 9 | #2,671 |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kai
- Kai Siegbahn Physicist · 1918–2007
- Kai Hansen Musician · b. 1963
- Kai Actor · b. 1994
- Kai Winding Musician · 1922–1983
- Kai Hirano Soccer player · b. 1987
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kai mean?
A unisex given name from the Germanic languages, of modern usage.
How popular is the name Kai in 2025?
Kai ranked #93 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,768 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kai?
78,710 babies have been named Kai in the United States since 1926, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kai most popular?
Kai peaked in 2022, when 5,732 newborns received the name.
Is Kai a boy or girl name?
Kai is used for both: about 11% of babies named Kai have been girls and 89% boys.
Is the name Kai rising or falling?
Kai is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kai?
Well-known people named Kai include Kai Siegbahn (physicist), Kai Hansen (musician), Kai (actor).