Kai
Boy name · #93 in 2025 · Uniqueness 42/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kai in class?
Kai scores 42 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 Kai is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kai is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kais were CA (601), TX (366), FL (328), NY (222), PA (123). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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, Makai, Amir, Gael, and Axel.
MalakaiMakaiAmirGaelAxelMiloAmariKnox
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
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. It scores 42/100 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.