Kalai
The Story of Kalai
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Kalai as a girl name dates back to 1991, when 5 babies received it. 2019 was its biggest year on record, with 10 newborns named Kalai — #9,732 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 33% of all recorded Kalais. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2022 (8 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 67 Kalais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Kalai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1998, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2000: 14 births, good for #5,040 nationwide. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 44% of all recorded Kalais. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (9 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 227 Kalais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kalai
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kalai 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 Kalai
What does the name Kalai mean?
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In which U.S. states is Kalai most popular?
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About the name Kalai
Kalai is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1998 and has accumulated 227 births in the dataset. Kalai's peak popularity came in 2000 when it ranked #5,040. Use the chart and map above to compare Kalai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2000 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- 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.