Lai
The Story of Lai
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Lai as a girl name dates back to 1953, when 5 babies received it. 1984 was its biggest year on record, with 17 newborns named Lai — #4,318 in the national rankings. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 41% of all recorded Lais. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2015 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 231 Lais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Lai on the record books as a boy name in 1981, with 10 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1981, when 10 Lais were born — ranking #3,857 that year. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 68% of all recorded Lais. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1991 (8 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 25 Lais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Lai
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lai 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 Lai
What does the name Lai mean?
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In which U.S. states is Lai most popular?
Is Lai a unisex name?
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About the name Lai
Lai is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1953 and has accumulated 231 births in the dataset. Lai's peak popularity came in 1984 when it ranked #4,318. Use the chart and map above to compare Lai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1984 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl 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.