Khai

Khai - A very unique male name

Khai appeared on the charts for the first time in 1981 on position #2371. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Khai and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Khai? 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 Khai. The baby boy name Khai was given to 131 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1153 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 11,193 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Khai peaked in popularity 3 years ago in 2023 on position 714.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Khai, 1-5?

Khai is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Khai is currently topping the baby name charts in Massachusetts at position #751 - and is the least popular in Illinois at position #1,210.

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 Khai is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Khai origin and meaning

Multiple possible origins

Uncertain — Khai has several unrelated possible sources (a respelling of Kai; Vietnamese Khai, from a word for opening/triumph; an Egyptian name element) and US use does not document which one parents intend

Khai is a very short name with several separate lives: it appears in Vietnamese naming, as an Egyptian royal name element, and most often in recent US use as a respelled Kai. Its US numbers were small for decades, spiked in 2023, and remain elevated. Because the sources are unrelated, no single meaning can honestly be attached to the American name.

Origin uncertain

Khai is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Khai

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

Kai / Kash / Kasey / Koa / Kase / Kye / Kayce / Kace / Kay / Khaza /

---

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 Khai

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 Khai 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 Khai?

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.

---

Pronunciation

KY · /kaɪ/
Usually read as KY (rhyming with Kai), but families using the Vietnamese name may pronounce it differently

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Kai — The established name Khai most often respells in US use

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Modern coinageInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Khai for a one-syllable, global-feeling name that is shorter and rarer than Kai.

Worth knowing

• People will assume it is Kai with an unusual spelling, and its meaning depends entirely on which tradition a family means