The first name Chaim
A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “life”.
2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Chaim means “life” in Hebrew.
From Hebrew חַיִּים (“life”).
More names that mean life.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 31 boys were named Chaim, making it the 976th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 43 births (#771).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Chaim with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Chaim at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 411 boys born in the United States were named Chaim, the 666th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 462 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Chaim in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Haim
- Hayim
Famous people named Chaim
13 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Chaim Herzog6th President of Israel (1983–1993) – (born1918–1997)
- Chaïm SoutineBelarusian-French painter (1893–1943)
- Chaïm PerelmanBelgian philosopher of law (1912-1984)
- Chaim PotokAmerican rabbi and author (1929–2002)
- Chaim Laskov5th Chief of General Staff of Israel Defence Forces (1919–1982)
- Chaim Yisroel EissActivist (1876-1943)
- Chaim GrossAmerican artist (1904-1991)
- Chaim KaplanBelarusian-Polish educator and Holocaust victim, 1880–1942
- Jacques LipchitzAmerican and French sculptor (1891–1973)
- Jean AméryAustrian-born essayist and Holocaust survivor (1912-1978)
- Joachim OppenheimCzech rabbi and author (1832 – 1891)
- Haïm KorsiaFrench rabbi, born 1963
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Chaim mean?
- Chaim means “life” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Chaim?
- From Hebrew חַיִּים (“life”).
- How popular is the name Chaim?
- In 2025, 31 boys born in England and Wales were named Chaim, ranking 976th. Its peak was 2021, with 43 births.
- Is Chaim a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 12,078 US babies named Chaim since 1880 were boys.
- When was Chaim most popular?
- 2022 in the United States, when 462 babies were named Chaim, its highest rank at 607th.
- What are other spellings of Chaim?
- Haim and Hayim.