Declining since 2004, #6,446 for boys today.
Popularity of Mekai since 1999
Babies named Mekai per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 6 |
| 2000s | 230 |
| 2010s | 199 |
| 2020s | 128 |
Meaning & origin
Mekai is a modern, rare name that entered U.S. birth records in 1999. Its highest popularity level came in 2005, when it reached its peak rank, but since 2004 its use has been on a gradual decline. By 2025, it ranked 6,446th with approximately 1 in 131,390 boys given the name. The name's origins are unclear; it may be a creative respelling of Micah or an adaptation of the Hawaiian name Mekai. It has not been recorded in any specific top states, underscoring its scattered, infrequent use across the country. As a contemporary coinage, Mekai lacks deep historical roots but fits within a broader trend of melodic, vowel-heavy names.
Mekai first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1999, likely reflecting a trend toward phonetically distinctive names beginning with 'Me-' and ending in '-ai' or '-i'. It may have been influenced by the popularity of names like Elijah, Micah, and Isaiah, or derived from the Hawaiian name Mekai, meaning 'the sea' (from 'kai'), though this connection is uncertain. Use has remained rare and primarily American.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mek, Kai
Variants: Mekai, Mekay
Sibling names for Mekai
Names that share Mekai's style, for a brother or sister.
