Kai is a name meaning ‘earth’ and ‘keeper of the keys’ in Welsh and Scandinavian origins, but it has roots in many cultures around the world. The simple name is most often considered to be of Hawaiian derivation meaning ‘sea’.
In Europe, Kai is thought to have Frisian origin as a short version of the name Kaimbe which means ‘warrior’. The name can also be found in Chinese culture meaning ‘victory’ and in the Navajo meaning ‘willow tree’.
- Name Origin: Welsh
- Name Meaning: earth, sea, or warrior
- Pronunciation: k-ai-h
- Gender: gender-neutral
How Popular is the name Kai?
Kai has been quite a popular name in Wales and has remained in the top 1000 names for boys since around the 1970s. The name made it to the top 100 baby names in 2019 and even placed number 794 for girls’ names in the year 2020.
It is very often used as a gender-neutral name in the United States today. Based on 2021 statistics, it is estimated that one out of every 405 baby boys are named Kai, and one out of every 4836 baby girls are named share the name as well.
Name Variations
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Caius | Rejoice | Latin |
| Cai | Rejoice or happy | Latin and Welsh |
| Kaleb | Devotion to God | Hebrew |
| Chi | Tree branch or twig | Vietnamese |
| Kian | Ancient or king | Gaelic |
| Kyler | Bowman or archer | Dutch |
| Kylo | Sky or Heavenly | American and Latin |
Other Welsh Boy Names
| Name | Meaning |
| Aron | Celtic Saint |
| Arwyn | Handsome |
| Dylan | The son of the sea and waves |
| Gruffydd | Lord or Prince |
| Harri | Welsh equivalent of Harry |
| Cedric | Generous |
| Elis | God’s promise |
Alternative Boy Names Starting With “K”
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Kennedy | Helmet | Irish and Scottish |
| Kaleb | Devotion to God | Hebrew |
| Kenneth | Handsome | English |
| Kevin | Handsome | Irish |
| Kinsley | King’s meadow | Old English |
| Karson | Son of marsh dwellers | Scottish |
| Kaden | Companion, round, or fighter | Arabic and Welsh |
Famous People Named Kai
- Kai Alexander – British Actor
- Kai Wen Tan – American Gymnast
- Kai Bird – American Journalist
- Kai Althoff – German multimedia Artist
- Kai Budde – German gamer