Mai
A female given name, a rare spelling variant of Mae/May, or borrowed from Scandinavia, with the same ultimate origin.
Every Mai since 1880 — 5,697 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Mai
Mai is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,016 in 2025 with 55 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 5,697 American babies have been named Mai. Its peak came in 1990, when 254 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Mai stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Mai 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 | 55 | #3,016 | — | — |
| 2024 | 49 | #3,261 | — | — |
| 2023 | 51 | #3,210 | — | — |
| 2022 | 55 | #3,017 | — | — |
| 2021 | 58 | #2,910 | — | — |
| 2020 | 48 | #3,257 | — | — |
| 2019 | 50 | #3,205 | — | — |
| 2018 | 53 | #3,087 | — | — |
| 2017 | 34 | #4,277 | — | — |
| 2016 | 49 | #3,311 | — | — |
| 2015 | 46 | #3,460 | — | — |
| 2014 | 55 | #3,066 | — | — |
| 2013 | 55 | #3,031 | — | — |
| 2012 | 55 | #3,070 | — | — |
| 2011 | 61 | #2,857 | — | — |
| 2010 | 58 | #2,962 | — | — |
| 2009 | 76 | #2,500 | — | — |
| 2008 | 79 | #2,434 | — | — |
| 2007 | 69 | #2,669 | — | — |
| 2006 | 75 | #2,472 | — | — |
| 2005 | 84 | #2,194 | — | — |
| 2004 | 74 | #2,335 | — | — |
| 2003 | 81 | #2,159 | — | — |
| 2002 | 63 | #2,517 | — | — |
| 2001 | 74 | #2,207 | — | — |
| 2000 | 71 | #2,228 | — | — |
| 1995 | 165 | #1,085 | — | — |
| 1990 | 254 | #795 | — | — |
| 1985 | 173 | #917 | 9 | #4,552 |
| 1980 | 71 | #1,630 | — | — |
| 1975 | 24 | #3,015 | — | — |
| 1970 | 18 | #3,518 | — | — |
| 1965 | 11 | #4,102 | — | — |
| 1960 | 6 | #6,113 | — | — |
| 1955 | 11 | #3,703 | — | — |
| 1950 | 8 | #4,182 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | 13 | #2,386 | — | — |
| 1930 | 15 | #2,258 | — | — |
| 1925 | 14 | #2,564 | — | — |
| 1920 | 15 | #2,425 | — | — |
| 1915 | 12 | #2,483 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,122 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,524 | — | — |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,451 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | 6 | #804 | — | — |
Famous people named Mai
- Mai Zetterling Actor · 1925–1994
- Mai Kuraki Musician · b. 1982
- Mai Charoenpura Singer · b. 1969
- Mai Nakahara Actor · b. 1981
- Mai Aizawa Soccer player · b. 1980
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Mai mean?
A female given name, a rare spelling variant of Mae/May, or borrowed from Scandinavia, with the same ultimate origin.
How popular is the name Mai in 2025?
Mai ranked #3,016 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 55 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Mai?
5,697 babies have been named Mai in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Mai most popular?
Mai peaked in 1990, when 254 newborns received the name.
Is Mai a boy or girl name?
Mai is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Mai rising or falling?
Mai has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Mai?
Well-known people named Mai include Mai Zetterling (actor), Mai Kuraki (musician), Mai Charoenpura (singer).