Kiai
In Japanese martial arts a kiai is a short shout uttered when performing an assault.
Meaning & Origin of Kiai
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In Japanese martial arts a kiai is a short shout uttered when performing an assault.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Kiai
Kiai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2007, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 8 Kiais were born — ranking #8,743 that year. As of 2026, Kiai ranks #9,864 for baby boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 49 Kiais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kiai
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kiai 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 Kiai
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About the name Kiai
Kiai is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2007 and has accumulated 49 births in the dataset. Kiai's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #8,743. Use the chart and map above to compare Kiai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2015 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.