Declining since 2001, #4,987 for girls today.
Popularity of Thais since 1909
Babies named Thais per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 165 |
| 1920s | 226 |
| 1930s | 117 |
| 1940s | 109 |
| 1950s | 141 |
| 1960s | 129 |
| 1970s | 177 |
| 1980s | 146 |
| 1990s | 186 |
| 2000s | 420 |
| 2010s | 230 |
| 2020s | 174 |
Meaning & origin
Thais is a name of ancient Greek origin, first recorded in the U.S. in 1909. It reached its peak popularity in 2001, but has been on a downward trajectory since then, ranking 4,987 in 2025. Approximately 1 in 61,818 girls are given this name, making it a distinctive choice. While it has no particular association with any U.S. state, its usage has been sustained by Portuguese and Brazilian communities, where the accented form Thaís is common.
Thais is of ancient Greek origin, first attested as the name of a famous Athenian hetaera (courtesan) who accompanied Alexander the Great on his campaigns. The name appears in Greek as Θαΐς (Thaïs). Its meaning is debated: it may derive from thallo (to bloom, flourish), suggesting 'blossoming' or 'beloved,' or from a root meaning 'bandage.' The name was later adopted in Portugal and Brazil, where it is often spelled Thaís with an accent on the i.
“Thais” around the world
Where Thais lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
#84
in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Thai, Taí
Variants: Thais, Thalía
Sibling names for Thais
Names that share Thais's style, for a brother or sister.
