Declining since 1985, #3,342 for girls today.
Popularity of Kami since 1957
Babies named Kami per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1980, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Kami's real moment was 1972.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 43 |
| 1960s | 847 |
| 1970s | 2,438 |
| 1980s | 2,027 |
| 1990s | 1,300 |
| 2000s | 1,268 |
| 2010s | 698 |
| 2020s | 304 |
Meaning & origin
Kami is a name of varied origins used in the U.S. since at least 1957. It peaked in popularity in 1972, but has been on a downward trajectory since 1985. As of 2025, it ranked 3,342nd nationally, with roughly 1 in 34,941 babies receiving the name. Its top states have been Ohio and Texas. While never common, Kami has maintained a steady if small presence for decades.
Kami has multiple origins. In Japanese, kami (神) refers to the spirits or gods of Shinto. In English, it emerged as a diminutive of Camille (from Latin Camillus 'acolyte') or Kamala (Sanskrit 'lotus'). As a given name in the U.S., it gained modest use in the 1970s, though it has never been common.
Where Kami is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Kami” around the world
Where Kami lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Kami
Names that share Kami's style, for a brother or sister.
