Chaim

Chaim - A very unique male name

Chaim appeared on the charts for the first time in 1942 on position #1414. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Chaim and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Chaim? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Chaim. The baby boy name Chaim was given to 393 baby boys in 2025, ranking #638 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 3,731 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Chaim peaked in popularity 4 years ago in 2022 on position 590.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Chaim, 1-5?

Chaim is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Chaim is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #62 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #1,888.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Chaim is where you live.

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Chaim origin and meaning

Hebrew

'Life' — from Hebrew chai, 'life, living'

Chaim is the Hebrew name built on the word for life itself — the chai symbol worn as an amulet — and is also the second half of the toast 'l'chaim', 'to life'. It has been a steady presence in American Jewish naming since the 1940s and sits at its highest levels in the 2020s.

Attested etymology

Chaim is a 5 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Chaim, pop culture references for the name Chaim and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Chaim

We've found the following names that sound similar to Chaim, sorted by popularity.

Cohen / Cason / Cannon / Casen / Cayson / Cain / Connie / Canaan / Coen / Cassian /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Chaim

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Chaim a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Chaim?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

KHYME · /xaɪm/
In Hebrew it begins with a guttural kh; English speakers variously say HY-im or KAY-im.

Around the world

• Haim (Hebrew) — The same name in a simpler transliteration.

Spellings and nicknames

• Haim — The h-spelling transliteration.
• Hayim — A fuller transliteration variant.
• Chayim — Another transliteration variant.

Famous bearers

• Chaim Weizmann — Scientist and first President of Israel (1874–1952) Historical
• Chaim Soutine — Expressionist painter of the School of Paris (1893–1943) Historical

Style

International

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Chaim for its meaning in its purest form — life itself — and for its deep place in Jewish tradition.

Worth knowing

• The opening sound does not exist in English, so greetings will mangle it for life, and spellings split across Chaim, Haim and Hayim.