Cai: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “rejoice”
- Origin
- Welsh
- Say it
- kye · 1 syllable
- Used for
- Both (26% girls, 74% boys since 1880)
As a Welsh name, Cai is the traditional form of Sir Kay from Arthurian legend; its exact etymology is uncertain, though it is often linked with 'rejoice.' This spelling is also independently used in Chinese with various meanings depending on the character. The origin of this name is not settled among etymologists.
How popular is Cai?
Babies named Cai in 2024101
2024 rank#1,908 boys
Peak year2022
Total US babies since 18801,862
Cai is rising: use over the last five years is 1.7× what it was a decade earlier.
Names like Cai
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Cai questions
What does the name Cai mean?
Cai means "rejoice". It comes from Welsh. As a Welsh name, Cai is the traditional form of Sir Kay from Arthurian legend; its exact etymology is uncertain, though it is often linked with 'rejoice.' This spelling is also independently used in Chinese with various meanings depending on the character.
Is Cai a boy or girl name?
Cai is used for both: about 26% of US babies named Cai since 1880 were girls.
How popular is Cai?
101 US babies were named Cai in 2024. Its peak year was 2022.
How do you pronounce Cai?
Cai is usually pronounced kye.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.