Jakai
Boy name · #570 in 2025 · Distinctive
Jakai is currently the #570 boy name in the United States — 519 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1346, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,468 boys born in 2025 was named Jakai.
Babies named Jakai per year. Source: SSA.
The 31-year story
Jakai first appears in the Social Security records in 1994, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 519 babies and a rank of #569. 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 Jakai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jakai in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jakai is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Jakai is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jakai is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Jakai is most common in SC (1.2 per 1,000), LA (1 per 1,000), MO (0.8 per 1,000), GA (0.8 per 1,000), WI (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jakai is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Jakai
Statistically, parents drawn to Jakai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zakai, Makai, Jahkai, Sakai, and Kenai.
ZakaiMakaiJahkaiSakaiKenaiJakariJasaiMalakai
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jakai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 519 | #569 |
| 2024 | 430 | #646 |
| 2023 | 363 | #730 |
| 2022 | 312 | #804 |
| 2021 | 245 | #924 |
| 2020 | 183 | #1084 |
| 2019 | 164 | #1177 |
| 2018 | 155 | #1207 |
| 2017 | 124 | #1408 |
| 2016 | 119 | #1450 |
| 2015 | 130 | #1346 |
| 2014 | 107 | #1506 |
| 2013 | 90 | #1670 |
| 2012 | 94 | #1637 |
| 2011 | 120 | #1385 |
| 2010 | 96 | #1626 |
| 2009 | 122 | #1390 |
| 2008 | 84 | #1775 |
| 2007 | 98 | #1593 |
| 2006 | 83 | #1698 |
| 2005 | 97 | #1485 |
| 2004 | 64 | #1911 |
| 2003 | 67 | #1781 |
| 2002 | 60 | #1869 |
| 2001 | 29 | #3061 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Jakai a popular boy name?
Jakai ranked #570 among boys in 2025 with 519 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1346.
When was the name Jakai most popular?
Jakai peaked in 2025, when 519 American boys received the name (ranked #569 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Jakai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,468 newborn American boys was named Jakai. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it 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.