Zakai
Boy name · #563 in 2025 · Uniqueness 26/100
In 2025, 528 baby boys were named Zakai, placing it at #563 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1555, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,409 boys born in 2025 was named Zakai.
Babies named Zakai per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 27-year story
Zakai first appears in the Social Security records in 1998, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 528 babies and a rank of #563. 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 Zakai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zakai in class?
Zakai scores 26 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "popular" band. 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 Zakai is most common
Geography matters for names, and Zakai is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Zakais were FL (48), TX (47), GA (33), CA (32), PA (27). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Zakai
Statistically, parents drawn to Zakai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jakai, Makai, Sakai, Kenai, and Jahkai.
JakaiMakaiSakaiKenaiJahkaiMalakaiAlakaiAkai
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zakai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 528 | #563 |
| 2024 | 473 | #604 |
| 2023 | 415 | #659 |
| 2022 | 374 | #705 |
| 2021 | 314 | #785 |
| 2020 | 249 | #902 |
| 2019 | 244 | #897 |
| 2018 | 242 | #894 |
| 2017 | 185 | #1066 |
| 2016 | 142 | #1279 |
| 2015 | 104 | #1555 |
| 2014 | 84 | #1781 |
| 2013 | 95 | #1613 |
| 2012 | 89 | #1697 |
| 2011 | 64 | #2077 |
| 2010 | 62 | #2144 |
| 2009 | 61 | #2183 |
| 2008 | 51 | #2467 |
| 2007 | 61 | #2185 |
| 2006 | 65 | #2037 |
| 2005 | 43 | #2567 |
| 2004 | 36 | #2843 |
| 2003 | 21 | #3976 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7055 |
| 2001 | 17 | #4476 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Zakai a popular boy name?
Zakai ranked #563 among boys in 2025 with 528 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1555.
When was the name Zakai most popular?
Zakai peaked in 2025, when 528 American boys received the name (ranked #563 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Zakai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,409 newborn American boys was named Zakai. It scores 26/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "popular".
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.