Mai
Girl name · #3000 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
In 2025, 55 baby girls were named Mai, placing it at #3000 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3429, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 32,727 girls born in 2025 was named Mai.
Babies named Mai per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Mai first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1990, when 254 girls were named Mai — good for #793 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Mai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mai in class?
Mai scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Mai will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Mai is most common
State-level data for Mai is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Mai
Statistically, parents drawn to Mai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Codi, Maira, Kaci, Rikki, and Mayra.
CodiMairaKaciRikkiMayraJessiLorenLyndi
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55 | #2998 |
| 2024 | 49 | #3225 |
| 2023 | 51 | #3181 |
| 2022 | 55 | #2995 |
| 2021 | 58 | #2892 |
| 2020 | 48 | #3221 |
| 2019 | 50 | #3172 |
| 2018 | 53 | #3050 |
| 2017 | 34 | #4220 |
| 2016 | 49 | #3280 |
| 2015 | 46 | #3429 |
| 2014 | 55 | #3041 |
| 2013 | 55 | #3005 |
| 2012 | 55 | #3040 |
| 2011 | 61 | #2838 |
| 2010 | 58 | #2938 |
| 2009 | 76 | #2485 |
| 2008 | 79 | #2419 |
| 2007 | 69 | #2647 |
| 2006 | 75 | #2459 |
| 2005 | 84 | #2180 |
| 2004 | 74 | #2326 |
| 2003 | 81 | #2144 |
| 2002 | 63 | #2497 |
| 2001 | 74 | #2193 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Mai a popular girl name?
Mai ranked #3000 among girls in 2025 with 55 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3429.
When was the name Mai most popular?
Mai peaked in 1990, when 254 American girls received the name (ranked #793 that year). Since 1990 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Mai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 32,727 newborn American girls was named Mai. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.