Kai

Kai was the number 72 most popular boys' name in England and Wales in 2024, given to 735 babies that year, according to the Office for National Statistics. It moved up 2 places from rank 74 in 2023. As general background, Kai is usually said to be of multiple traditions origin, meaning with meanings including sea in Hawaiian, also a short form of European names. The popularity figures are the real ONS count and rank; the meaning is widely attested etymology, not a claim about any individual.

Kai in the ONS data

Source: ONS Baby names in England and Wales, 2024 edition, released 2025-07-31. Accessed 2026-06-14. The rank and count are the real ONS figures for England and Wales. Refreshed each year on the ONS release.

What Kai means

Kai is usually described as a name of multiple traditions origin, meaning with meanings including sea in Hawaiian, also a short form of European names. This is general etymological background drawn from established naming reference works. It describes the name's history and is not a claim about any individual who carries it.

Meanings and origins are general background, not ONS data and not advice.

Kai also appears in these lists

Kai appears in these baby name themes on BabyData, each built from the official ONS 2024 rankings.

Short baby names

Names like Kai

Other names from the ONS 2024 rankings that share a theme with Kai.

NoahLilyIslaLeoIvyLucaAvaJude

Nearby in the boys' ranking

• 71. Jasper
• 72. Kai
• 73. Musa

See the full ranked list of most popular UK baby names →