Masai

Masai - A very unique male name

Masai appeared on the charts for the first time in 2000 on position #3216. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Masai and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Masai? 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 Masai. The baby boy name Masai was given to 79 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1412 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 18,561 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Masai peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 1412.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Masai, 1-5?

Masai is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Masai is currently topping the baby name charts in New Jersey at position #634 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,465.

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 Masai is where you live.

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Masai origin and meaning

From the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania

Taken from the name of the Maasai people — Masai is the older English spelling of Maasai; the people's own name is linked to their Maa language

Masai borrows the name of the East African pastoralist people, in the older English spelling. It has appeared only intermittently in the data since 2000 but reached its peak in 2025, riding interest in African heritage names.

Origin uncertain

Masai is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Masai

We've found the following names that sound similar to Masai, 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 Masai

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 Masai 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 Masai?

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

mah-SY · /məˈsaɪ/
Usually mah-SY in American use; the people's name itself is said with a long first vowel in Maa.

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Maasai — The modern standard spelling of the people's name

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 2000, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

Place nameModern coinage

Why parents choose it

A heritage name honouring one of Africa's best-known peoples — striking, and still very rare.

Worth knowing

• It names a real people, which some families will want to consider carefully; the Maasai double-A spelling is the modern standard for the people themselves.