Kai
Boy name · #93 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Kai? In official American birth records, Kai has been tracked continuously since 1926, giving it 99 years of documented American history.
Kai is currently the #93 boy name in the United States — 3,768 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #145, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 478 boys born in 2025 was named Kai.
The 99-year story
Kai first appears in the Social Security records in 1926, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 5,374 babies and a rank of #59. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Babies named Kai per year. Source: Official national birth records.
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 "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Kai is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kai is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Kai is most common in HI (10 per 1,000), RI (4.2 per 1,000), NM (4 per 1,000), NV (3.8 per 1,000), UT (3.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 2.6 per 1,000 boys. 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 Malakai, Amir, Gael, Axel, and Milo.
MalakaiAmirGaelAxelMiloAmariKnoxMyles
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,768 | #93 |
| 2024 | 4,301 | #76 |
| 2023 | 4,976 | #61 |
| 2022 | 5,374 | #59 |
| 2021 | 4,641 | #70 |
| 2020 | 3,867 | #93 |
| 2019 | 3,744 | #100 |
| 2018 | 3,463 | #112 |
| 2017 | 3,158 | #126 |
| 2016 | 2,895 | #145 |
| 2015 | 2,852 | #145 |
| 2014 | 2,411 | #177 |
| 2013 | 1,983 | #199 |
| 2012 | 1,938 | #197 |
| 2011 | 1,790 | #202 |
| 2010 | 1,750 | #205 |
| 2009 | 1,759 | #213 |
| 2008 | 1,609 | #229 |
| 2007 | 1,399 | #252 |
| 2006 | 1,451 | #238 |
| 2005 | 1,413 | #239 |
| 2004 | 1,324 | #248 |
| 2003 | 1,217 | #264 |
| 2002 | 1,108 | #276 |
| 2001 | 718 | #370 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kai?
In official American birth records, the name Kai first appeared in 1926 (over 99 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 99 years.
Is Kai a popular boy name?
Kai ranked #93 among boys in 2025 with 3,768 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #145.
When was the name Kai most popular?
Kai peaked in 2022, when 5,374 American boys received the name (ranked #59 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Kai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 478 newborn American boys was named Kai. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.