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Name Lineage

    The first name Kai

    A boy’s name meaning “warrior”, “sea”.

    Pronounced /kaɪ/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Kai means “warrior”, “sea”.

    Taken into regular use in the 1990s, with earlier popularity peaks in Scandinavia and Germany. The medieval Danish Kaj is possibly of Roman origin, Latinized as Caius, like the rare medieval English male given name Kay. The German Kai may also derive from a West Frisian pet form of Gerard, Cornelius, Nicholas, or Kampe "warrior". In the U.S. Kai has also been explained as Hawaiian kai (“sea”).

    More names that mean sea, warrior.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 672 boys were named Kai, making it the 78th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2010, with 1,308 births (#56).

    01,0002,000 1996200020052010201520202025
    25,329
    babies named Kai, 1996–2025
    #78
    rank in 2025
    2010
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Kai with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Kai at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 3,768 boys born in the United States were named Kai, the 93rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 5,374 were.

    03,0006,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    78,710
    babies named Kai since 1880
    #93
    rank in 2025
    2022
    peak year

    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.

    Famous people named Kai

    49 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Kai Havertz
      German association football player (born 1999)
    • Kai Hansen
      German guitarist and singer, born 1963
    • Zou Kai
      Chinese artistic gymnast, born 1988
    • Kai Cenat
      American internet personality and online streamer (born 2001)
    • Liang Kai
      Chinese artist, 1200–1300
    • Kai Winding
      Danish-born American jazz composer and trombonist, 1922–1983
    • Kai Häfner
      German handball player, born 1989
    • Kai Trump
      American social media personality and granddaughter of Donald Trump (born 2007)
    • Ma Kai
      Chinese politician, born 1946
    • Kai Trewin
      Australian soccer player (born 2001)
    • Kai Verbij
      Dutch speed skater, born 1994
    • Kai Hahto
      Finnish musician, born 1973

    Questions

    What does the name Kai mean?
    Kai means “warrior”, “sea”.
    How popular is the name Kai?
    In 2025, 672 boys born in England and Wales were named Kai, ranking 78th. Its peak was 2010, with 1,308 births.
    Is Kai a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 78,710 US babies named Kai since 1880, 11% were girls and 89% boys.
    When was Kai most popular?
    2022 in the United States, when 5,374 babies were named Kai, its highest rank at 59th.
    How do you pronounce Kai?
    Kai is /kaɪ/, one syllable.
    Is Kai also a surname?
    Yes. Kai is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.