Makai

Makai - A very unique male name

Makai appeared on the charts for the first time in 1996 on position #3386. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Makai and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Makai? 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 Makai. The baby boy name Makai was given to 600 baby boys in 2025, ranking #478 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,444 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Makai peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 478.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Makai, 1-5?

Makai is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Makai is currently topping the baby name charts in Hawaii at position #199 - and is the least popular in Washington at position #627.

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 Makai is where you live.

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Makai origin and meaning

Hawaiian word name

'Towards the sea' — Hawaiian makai, the seaward direction, used opposite mauka, towards the mountains

In Hawaiian, makai is not originally a personal name but a direction — seaward — central to how places are described in the islands. Adopted as a boys' name in the US from 1996, it has risen steadily to its peak in 2025 with other Hawaiian-sounding names.

Attested etymology

Makai is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Makai

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

Mike / Max / Micah / Moses / Mack / Moises / Messiah / Mickey / Moshe / Mekhi /

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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 Makai

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 Makai 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 Makai?

2 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

muh-KY · /məˈkaɪ/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Makaio — Elaborated form with an -o ending.

Nicknames: KaiMak

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 1996, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

NatureInternational

Why parents choose it

Makai brings the ocean with it — parents love its Hawaiian lilt and the built-in nickname Kai. It suits families with island ties and those simply drawn to sea names.

Worth knowing

• It is often confused with Makai's sound-alikes Micah, Makhi and Malachi.
• People unfamiliar with Hawaiian may say MAK-ay or muh-KAY.