Mei
Girl name · #1738 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Mei? In official American birth records, Mei has been tracked continuously since 1947, giving it 78 years of documented American history.
Mei ranks #1738 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 117 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3533, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,385 girls born in 2025 was named Mei.
Babies named Mei per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 78-year story
Mei first appears in the Social Security records in 1947, when 6 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 117 babies and a rank of #1733. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Mei against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mei in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Mei is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Mei will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Mei is most common
Geography matters for names, and Mei is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Mei is most common in NY (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Mei is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Mei
Statistically, parents drawn to Mei tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Solei, Marwa, Malky, Isa, and Meira.
SoleiMarwaMalkyIsaMeiraAvniAnviMayla
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mei | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 117 | #1733 |
| 2024 | 101 | #1955 |
| 2023 | 79 | #2314 |
| 2022 | 55 | #2995 |
| 2021 | 66 | #2608 |
| 2020 | 65 | #2597 |
| 2019 | 61 | #2752 |
| 2018 | 65 | #2647 |
| 2017 | 52 | #3091 |
| 2016 | 55 | #3010 |
| 2015 | 44 | #3533 |
| 2014 | 49 | #3272 |
| 2013 | 46 | #3404 |
| 2012 | 39 | #3915 |
| 2011 | 39 | #3843 |
| 2010 | 33 | #4397 |
| 2009 | 46 | #3512 |
| 2008 | 32 | #4647 |
| 2007 | 48 | #3428 |
| 2006 | 47 | #3414 |
| 2005 | 32 | #4267 |
| 2004 | 35 | #3989 |
| 2003 | 45 | #3232 |
| 2002 | 30 | #4179 |
| 2001 | 29 | #4209 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Mei?
In official American birth records, the name Mei first appeared in 1947 (over 78 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 78 years.
Is Mei a popular girl name?
Mei ranked #1738 among girls in 2025 with 117 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3533.
When was the name Mei most popular?
Mei peaked in 2025, when 117 American girls received the name (ranked #1733 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Mei?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,385 newborn American girls was named Mei. 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.