Kai
Girl name · #1054 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Kai? In official American birth records, Kai has been tracked continuously since 1953, giving it 72 years of documented American history.
Kai ranks #1054 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 234 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #888, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,692 girls born in 2025 was named Kai.
Babies named Kai per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 72-year story
Kai first appears in the Social Security records in 1953, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 371 girls were named Kai — good for #768 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kai in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kai is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kai will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kai is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kai is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Kai is most common in AZ (0.4 per 1,000), FL (0.3 per 1,000), GA (0.2 per 1,000), OH (0.2 per 1,000), NC (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kai is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kai
Statistically, parents drawn to Kai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Skai, Kairi, Kamari, Kodi, and Kori.
SkaiKairiKamariKodiKoriEmiSkyRori
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 234 | #1053 |
| 2024 | 214 | #1128 |
| 2023 | 282 | #940 |
| 2022 | 358 | #789 |
| 2021 | 371 | #768 |
| 2020 | 344 | #791 |
| 2019 | 338 | #809 |
| 2018 | 318 | #853 |
| 2017 | 338 | #808 |
| 2016 | 320 | #876 |
| 2015 | 311 | #888 |
| 2014 | 270 | #989 |
| 2013 | 282 | #906 |
| 2012 | 281 | #917 |
| 2011 | 294 | #887 |
| 2010 | 268 | #955 |
| 2009 | 235 | #1085 |
| 2008 | 234 | #1104 |
| 2007 | 210 | #1199 |
| 2006 | 180 | #1299 |
| 2005 | 185 | #1227 |
| 2004 | 164 | #1302 |
| 2003 | 148 | #1365 |
| 2002 | 158 | #1252 |
| 2001 | 128 | #1468 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kai?
In official American birth records, the name Kai first appeared in 1953 (over 72 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 72 years.
Is Kai a popular girl name?
Kai ranked #1054 among girls in 2025 with 234 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #888.
When was the name Kai most popular?
Kai peaked in 2021, when 371 American girls received the name (ranked #768 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,692 newborn American girls was named Kai. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.