Mei
Girl name · #1738 in 2025 · Uniqueness 43/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Mei scores 43 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Mei is most common
Geography matters for names, and Mei is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Meis were CA (17), NY (13), TX (10), AZ (7), WA (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 43/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.