Kai: Name Meaning, Origin, and Popularity

Pronunciation: ka-he-e
Origin: Japan
gender-male

Emmy Samtani

Emmy Samtani

Emmy is the founder of Kiindred and mother to 3 little ones. Over the last 4 years, she has worked with some of the most credible experts in the parenting space and is a keen contributor on all things parenthood.
Updated on Jun 12, 2025 · 1 min read
Region Origin: Asia
Meaning: Earth

Kai is a gender-neutral name with various origins and meanings, making it a versatile and multicultural name. It is most often thought of as having Japanese and Hawaiian origins, where it means "sea". In Welsh, Kai means "keeper of the keys," and in Greek, it translates to "earth". Additionally, Kai has roots in Scandinavian countries, where it means "earth," and in Scotland, where it stands for "keeper of the keys" or "fire". In Finnish, Kai means "rejoice," and in Estonian, it signifies "pier" or "quay".

Kai Name Popularity Data

chat-overall Kai is currently #621 in the popularity of the name rankings.
gender-female Boy: Kai is currently #307 on Kiindred Boy Names
gender-male Overall Unique: Kai is currently #351 on Kiindred Unique Names
gender-male Boy Unique: Kai is currently #173 on Kiindred Boy Unique Names
chat-overall Australian: Kai is currently #343 on Kiindred Australian Names

Popularity Trend Chart

Source: Social Security Administration

Baby Names A-Z

Wikipedia, NSW Births Deaths and Marriages, QLD Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, WA Registry of Births, SA Registry of Births, VIC Registry of Births, Social Security Administration

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