Sakai
Boy name · #1399 in 2025 · Uniqueness 37/100
Sakai is currently the #1399 boy name in the United States — 131 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #12086, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,740 boys born in 2025 was named Sakai.
The 27-year story
Sakai first appears in the Social Security records in 1998, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 131 babies and a rank of #1393. 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 Sakai per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sakai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sakai in class?
Sakai scores 37 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 Sakai is most common
Geography matters for names, and Sakai is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Sakais were PA (13), FL (11), GA (11), CA (7), NY (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Sakai
Statistically, parents drawn to Sakai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sekai, Jahkai, Rakai, Alakai, and Xakai.
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Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sakai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 131 | #1393 |
| 2024 | 59 | #2370 |
| 2023 | 49 | #2660 |
| 2022 | 57 | #2438 |
| 2021 | 25 | #4118 |
| 2020 | 24 | #4141 |
| 2019 | 21 | #4639 |
| 2018 | 10 | #7617 |
| 2017 | 8 | #8840 |
| 2016 | 6 | #10744 |
| 2015 | 5 | #12086 |
| 2014 | 6 | #10717 |
| 2013 | 12 | #6603 |
| 2012 | 10 | #7559 |
| 2011 | 14 | #5945 |
| 2010 | 17 | #5251 |
| 2009 | 13 | #6436 |
| 2008 | 11 | #7187 |
| 2007 | 6 | #10921 |
| 2006 | 14 | #5781 |
| 2005 | 15 | #5278 |
| 2004 | 10 | #6976 |
| 2003 | 8 | #7831 |
| 2002 | 6 | #9392 |
| 2001 | 7 | #8339 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sakai a popular boy name?
Sakai ranked #1399 among boys in 2025 with 131 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #12086.
When was the name Sakai most popular?
Sakai peaked in 2025, when 131 American boys received the name (ranked #1393 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Sakai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,740 newborn American boys was named Sakai. It scores 37/100 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.