ESC Name Rank Total Searching... No names found Try searching for: Emma, Liam, Olivia, Noah... 2012 First Year 2023 Last Year 2023 Peak Year #12180 Peak Rank 18 Total Count 3 Years Active 🌍 ## Meaning & Origin of Zakai What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. Zakai or Zakkai is a Hebrew surname. Notable people with the surname include:David Zakai, member of the Second Aliyah, Hebrew teacher, Histadrut leader, Jewish journalist and publicist Johanan ben Zakai, Mishnah rabbi Mira Zakai (1942–2019), Israeli contralto Moshe Zakai, Israeli scientist Shafrira Zakai, Israeli voice actress and translator Shai Zakai Shmuel Zakai, Israeli general Yehezkel… Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zakai) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zakai) ### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name) * African American 📖 ## The Story of Zakai The earliest SSA record of Zakai as a baby boy name dates back to 1998, when 6 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 517 newborns named Zakai — #566 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 62% of all recorded Zakais. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #566 among baby boy names with 517 births, rising sharply (+84% over the past five years). In total, more than 5K Zakais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s. ## Popularity Over Time ## Popularity by State ME WA MT ND MN WI MI NY VT NH MA OR ID SD IA IL IN OH PA NJ CT RI CA NV WY NE MO KY WV VA MD DE DC UT CO KS AR TN NC SC AK AZ NM OK LA MS AL GA HI TX FL Top 10 11-50 51-100 101-500 500+ No data 🎶 ## Names that sound like Zakai Phonetically similar names — useful when Zakai is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * [Zakar](/zakar) * [Sakai](/sakai) * [Zaki](/zaki) * Xoxo * Zakat * Zaka * [Zachry](/zachry) * Zachar * Zagar * [Zakiya](/zakiya) * Zaku * Sockeye Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. ❓ ## Frequently Asked Questions about Zakai What does the name Zakai mean? Zakai or Zakkai is a Hebrew surname. Notable people with the surname include:David Zakai, member of the Second Aliyah, Hebrew teacher, Histadrut leader, Jewish journalist and publicist Johanan ben Zakai, Mishnah rabbi Mira Zakai (1942–2019), Israeli contralto Moshe Zakai, Israeli scientist Shafrira Zakai, Israeli voice actress and translator Shai Zakai Shmuel Zakai, Israeli general Yehezkel… What is the origin of the name Zakai? Zakai has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: African American. How popular is Zakai in 2026? In 2026, Zakai ranks #566 among boys' names in the U.S., with 517 babies given the name that year. When was Zakai most popular? Zakai reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #566 that year with 517 babies given the name. In which U.S. states is Zakai most popular? Zakai has historically been most popular in District of Columbia, Mississippi, Nevada. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Zakai. Is Zakai a unisex name? In U.S. Social Security records, Zakai is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name. What names go well with Zakai? Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Zakai include Willian, Love, Whitney. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data. ## Similar Names [👧WyomingPeak #12180](/wyoming)[👧SadraPeak #12180](/sadra)[👧LeissaPeak #12180](/leissa)[👧LowryPeak #12180](/lowry)[👧AlcinaPeak #12180](/alcina)[👧CarmilaPeak #12180](/carmila)[👧SajdahPeak #12180](/sajdah)[👧JemiPeak #12180](/jemi) ## About the name Zakai Zakai is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1998 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Zakai's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #566\. Use the chart and map above to compare Zakai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices. ### Continue exploring * [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026) * [ Names of the 2020s → ](/decade/2020s) * [ Names starting with "Z" → ](/letter/z) * [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys) * [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026) Data sources * Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms). * Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/). * Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/). * Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). 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.