Rising since 1999, #1,393 for boys today.
Popularity of Sakai since 1998
Babies named Sakai per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0 | 10 |
| 2000s | 39 | 90 |
| 2010s | 28 | 109 |
| 2020s | 23 | 345 |
Meaning & origin
Sakai is a modern American given name that first appeared on the U.S. baby name charts in 1998. It has been on a steady upward trajectory since 1999, reaching its peak rank of 1393 in 2025, with roughly 1 in 13,039 boys receiving the name that year. The name is most popular in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. While its origins are uncertain, Sakai likely borrows from Japanese surnames or place names, but as a given name it is a product of contemporary naming trends that favor short, distinctive, and globally inspired names.
Sakai is a modern given name that likely originates from the Japanese surname Sakai, which itself derives from various place names in Japan. It has been used in the United States since the late 1990s, primarily as a boy's name, with a small but rising number of births each year.
Where Sakai is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Sibling names for Sakai
Names that share Sakai's style, for a brother or sister.
