Kai is a familiar name used for both girls and boys that has climbed to its highest level yet, peaking in 2022.
Kai is predominantly a boy name. In 2025 it ranked #93 among boys (3,768) and #1,054 among girls (234) — overall #140 across all names. The charts below show girls and boys separately.
| Year | U.S. births | U.S. + territories | ♀ Rank | ♂ Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,002 | 4,025 | #1,054 | #93 |
| 2024 | 4,515 | 4,534 | #1,132 | #76 |
| 2023 | 5,258 | 5,278 | #940 | #61 |
| 2022 | 5,732 | 5,755 | #791 | #59 |
| 2021 | 5,012 | 5,019 | #770 | #70 |
| 2020 | 4,211 | 4,224 | #793 | #93 |
| 2019 | 4,082 | 4,098 | #809 | #100 |
| 2018 | 3,781 | 3,798 | #854 | #112 |
| 2017 | 3,496 | 3,509 | #809 | #126 |
| 2016 | 3,215 | 3,221 | #879 | #145 |
| 2015 | 3,163 | 3,169 | #888 | #145 |
| 2014 | 2,681 | 2,687 | #989 | #177 |
| 2013 | 2,265 | 2,273 | #906 | #199 |
| 2012 | 2,219 | 2,219 | #919 | #197 |
| 2011 | 2,084 | 2,084 | #889 | #202 |
| 2010 | 2,018 | 2,023 | #955 | #205 |
| 2009 | 1,994 | 2,008 | #1,086 | #213 |
| 2008 | 1,843 | 1,843 | #1,105 | #229 |
| 2007 | 1,609 | 1,614 | #1,200 | #252 |
| 2006 | 1,631 | 1,636 | #1,301 | #238 |
| 2005 | 1,598 | 1,598 | #1,232 | #239 |
| 2004 | 1,488 | 1,493 | #1,305 | #249 |
| 2003 | 1,365 | 1,376 | #1,367 | #264 |
| 2002 | 1,266 | 1,266 | #1,255 | #276 |
| 2001 | 846 | 846 | #1,471 | #370 |
| 2000 | 753 | 753 | #1,416 | #403 |
| 1999 | 609 | 615 | #1,280 | #478 |
| 1998 | 489 | 494 | #1,369 | #548 |
| 1997 | 450 | — | #1,349 | #576 |
| 1996 | 384 | — | #1,726 | #598 |
| 1995 | 438 | — | #1,778 | #535 |
| 1994 | 304 | — | #1,694 | #711 |
| 1993 | 261 | — | #1,837 | #784 |
| 1992 | 227 | — | #2,018 | #837 |
| 1991 | 208 | — | #2,402 | #831 |
| 1990 | 175 | — | #2,415 | #928 |
| 1989 | 178 | — | #2,897 | #850 |
| 1988 | 136 | — | #2,504 | #1,017 |
| 1987 | 139 | — | #2,876 | #925 |
| 1986 | 125 | — | #3,160 | #935 |
| 1985 | 132 | — | #2,827 | #915 |
| 1984 | 134 | — | #2,063 | #965 |
| 1983 | 112 | — | #2,490 | #1,026 |
| 1982 | 134 | — | #2,423 | #925 |
| 1981 | 134 | — | #2,212 | #963 |
| 1980 | 147 | — | #1,739 | #994 |
| 1979 | 143 | — | #1,887 | #950 |
| 1978 | 141 | — | #1,606 | #1,009 |
| 1977 | 111 | — | #2,103 | #1,065 |
| 1976 | 96 | — | #2,077 | #1,172 |
| 1975 | 99 | — | #2,111 | #1,109 |
| 1974 | 93 | — | #1,975 | #1,174 |
| 1973 | 97 | — | #1,897 | #1,132 |
| 1972 | 98 | — | #1,842 | #1,133 |
| 1971 | 64 | — | #2,902 | #1,340 |
| 1970 | 79 | — | #3,153 | #1,074 |
| 1969 | 52 | — | #6,998 | #1,158 |
| 1968 | 60 | — | #3,880 | #1,094 |
| 1967 | 54 | — | #3,550 | #1,190 |
| 1966 | 46 | — | #4,314 | #1,271 |
| 1965 | 48 | — | #3,324 | #1,347 |
| 1964 | 38 | — | #6,348 | #1,397 |
| 1963 | 43 | — | #5,060 | #1,333 |
| 1962 | 43 | — | #3,506 | #1,464 |
| 1961 | 32 | — | #4,695 | #1,717 |
| 1960 | 27 | — | #5,411 | #1,842 |
| 1959 | 33 | — | #5,284 | #1,570 |
| 1958 | 29 | — | #4,335 | #1,809 |
| 1957 | 28 | — | #3,569 | #2,056 |
| 1956 | 12 | — | — | #2,435 |
| 1955 | 22 | — | — | #1,662 |
| 1954 | 14 | — | — | #2,162 |
| 1953 | 15 | — | #6,080 | #2,621 |
| 1952 | 5 | — | — | #4,001 |
| 1951 | 14 | — | — | #2,099 |
| 1950 | 9 | — | — | #2,671 |
| 1949 | 5 | — | — | #3,971 |
| 1944 | 5 | — | — | #3,679 |
| 1932 | 6 | — | — | #3,571 |
| 1926 | 6 | — | — | #3,959 |