Chai
The Story of Chai
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Chai as a girl name dates back to 1977, when 6 babies received it. 2020 was its biggest year on record, with 17 newborns named Chai — #6,626 in the national rankings. About 28% of every Chai on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Chai ranks #9,747 for girls with 6 births, falling sharply (-40%). All told, over 264 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Chai as a boy name dates back to 1981, when 11 babies received it. 1993 was its biggest year on record, with 16 newborns named Chai — #3,819 in the national rankings. About 28% of every Chai on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. Chai last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 15 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 378 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Chai
Phonetically similar names — useful when Chai is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chai
What does the name Chai mean?
How popular is Chai in 2026?
When was Chai most popular?
In which U.S. states is Chai most popular?
Is Chai a unisex name?
What names go well with Chai?
About the name Chai
Chai is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1981 and has accumulated 378 births in the dataset. Chai's peak popularity came in 1993 when it ranked #3,819. Use the chart and map above to compare Chai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1993 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.