Kai
Kai is a unisex name of Chinese origin meaning “open, victorious, beginning.” It ranked #93 in the United States in 2025. Kai (凯 or 开) means 'victorious' or 'open' in Chinese.
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how do you pronounce Kai?
KYE
where does the name Kai come from?
Kai exists independently in many unrelated languages, which is much of its appeal. In Hawaiian it means sea; in Japanese it is written with characters including one meaning ocean or one meaning open; in Chinese 凯 conveys triumph. A separate Scandinavian Kai is generally traced to the Latin Gaius.
Remarkably, Kai is a name found across many cultures: Hawaiian (sea), Japanese (sea/shell), Scandinavian (rejoice), and Maori (food). This multicultural presence has driven its global popularity.
how popular is this name?
Kai has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 45 years since 1979, and fell outside it for 2. It peaked at #59 in 2022, and ranked #93 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #93 |
| 2024 | #76 |
| 2023 | #61 |
| 2022 | #59 |
| 2021 | #70 |
| 2020 | #93 |
| 2019 | #100 |
| 2018 | #112 |
| 2017 | #126 |
| 2016 | #145 |
| 2010 | #205 |
| 2000 | #403 |
| 1990 | #926 |
| 1980 | #989 |
| 1979 | #945 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Kai fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Kai
Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen gave the Scandinavian Kai a literary presence in 1844. The name's rapid rise across English-speaking countries since the 1990s draws mainly on the Hawaiian and Japanese senses, and it is used for both sexes.
who are famous people named Kai?
- Kai Havertz (German footballer)
- Kai-Fu Lee (Taiwanese-American AI scientist)
what are the nicknames and variants of Kai?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
what names are similar to Kai?
what names go well with Kai?
Sibling names that share Kai's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Kai
What does the name Kai mean?
Kai means “open, victorious, beginning”.
What is the origin of the name Kai?
Kai comes from the Chinese naming tradition. Related forms include Kye, Cai and Kaj.
How popular is the name Kai?
Kai ranked #93 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 2022, at #59, and it has spent 45 years in the top 1,000 since 1979.
Is Kai a boy or girl name?
Kai is a unisex name, used for both boys and girls.
How do you pronounce Kai?
Kai is pronounced KYE, with 1 syllable.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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