Kai
Say it: KYE/kaɪ/
BoyMeans varies by origin, including "sea" in Hawaiian3 letters1 syllable
#34
in Ireland (2025)
#36 with spellings combined
140
babies in 2025
#31
best rank (2024)
1,870
babies since 1997
Up 44
10-year rank change
Kai through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 140 | #36 |
| 2024 | 162 | #31 |
| 2023 | 141 | #38 |
| 2022 | 163 | #33 |
| 2021 | 130 | #54 |
| 2020 | 109 | #59 |
| 2019 | 101 | #67 |
| 2018 | 83 | #86 |
| 2017 | 90 | #77 |
| 2016 | 79 | #92 |
| 2015 | 90 | #80 |
| 2014 | 111 | #73 |
| 2013 | 90 | #85 |
| 2012 | 66 | #109 |
| 2011 | 63 | #118 |
| 2010 | 49 | #147 |
| 2009 | 34 | #170 |
| 2008 | 35 | #178 |
| 2007 | 24 | #201 |
| 2006 | 20 | #203 |
| 2005 | 21 | #185 |
| 2004 | 17 | #192 |
| 2003 | 18 | #179 |
| 2002 | 11 | #226 |
| 2001 | 10 | #226 |
| 2000 | 5 | #312 |
| 1999 | 5 | #290 |
| 1997 | 3 | #382 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Kai mean?
Varies by origin, including "sea" in Hawaiian
International, from several sources including Scandinavian, Frisian, Welsh and Hawaiian.
Say it right
KYE
The story of Kai
Kai is a name that several languages arrived at separately, so it has no single meaning. In Scandinavia and Germany it has a long history. There it may come from the Roman name Caius, or from a Frisian pet form of longer names. In Welsh, Cai is also traced to Caius. In Hawaiian kai means the sea, and in Japanese the sound can mean “ocean” among other things. As an English first name it came into regular use in the 1990s.
In Ireland Kai first appears in the CSO records in 1997. It rose steadily through the 2010s. Its best rank was 31st in 2024 when spellings are combined, or 30th in the CSO’s own list. Its busiest year was 2022, with 163 babies.
In Northern Ireland it ranked 44th in 2025, its best position there so far.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Kai (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Kai (name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Kai | 140 | 1,870 |
In Northern Ireland
#44 in 2025 with 43 babies. Best rank #44 (2025); 823 babies since 1998.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.