Comments for the name Kai (1)

This name is unique, but not outrageous. Makes me think of a strong, sensible person.

This name is quite popular in Germany. It´s pronounced "Ky". [noted -ed]

Kai could also be derived from Old High German "kamph" meaning "fight". A strong name for somebody who never gives up. In northern Germany it is also the nickname of Nikolaus or Katharina.

I like this name a lot, though only on boys. It's not really a girls' name to me. But maybe that's only because I've never met a girl with that name.

I like this name for a boy, it's becoming very popular in the UK now.

Kai sounds like the name of a cold-hearted guy. I've never heard of a girl with this name though.

In Finnish 'kai' means 'perhaps', and is only used as a boys' name.

As far as I know, "Kai" is the Scandinavian short form of "Katharina". However, here in Germany where I live, it's used as a boy's name.

In New Zealand, this is a slang word for food.

Kai isn't a slang word for food in New Zealand - it's the word for food in Maori, New Zealand's native language.

Kai comes from the name Halkai. Kai means a place of sanctory or it can mean chicken/food (in Greek). It has a lot of different meanings.

You can also write it like "Kaj".

I have a friend named Kaisha pronounced Kay-sha and she shortens her name to Kai pronounced like Kai. I can't find the name Kaisha on this site. Yet it's a great name.

It is an interesting name and definitely rising in popularity. I personally prefer it for a boy.

I absolutely love this name, whether for a boy or girl. I first saw it on a game on the n64 called Harvest Moon, used for a boy working on a vineyard. When I saw it, I fell in love with it. Seems like an easy person to get along with, fun-loving, but still rough-around-the-edges. Imagine my delite when I realized it's the first half of my middle name, Kaitlin. I've wanted to be called Kai as a nickname of sorts, but it just never really happened. :( Really great though.

My name is Kaitlin and my nickname is Kai or Kaikai but I pronounce it KAY.

I have seen this name used as a nickname for Malachi. Kai is a great name for a boy.

Listen to the German pronunciation of Kai here:
http://www.nordicnames.de/Aussprache.html.

Don't like the name. For me it is just so out of time. In Sweden we pronounce it KAY.

Kai Sturm is a character´s name from the TV series "Die Motorrad-Cops: Hart am Limit". He was played by Jens-Peter Nünemann.

In the animated television series "Avatar: The Last Airbender" the Fire Nation has a traditional one-on-one battle called an Agni Kai, or Fire Duel.

I seem to recall a boy's name in one of Christian Andersen's fairy tales, but I can't remember which one. Kai Hansen is also a very famous German heavy metal guitarist. It is definitely a very rare name, and to me it sounds very "outworldly".

•In Hawaiian Kai means "Ocean" or "Sea"
•In Navajo Indian Kai means "Willow tree"
•In Scandinavian and Welsh Kai means "Keeper of the keys"
•In Greek Kaia means "Earth"
•In Norwegian Kaia means “Blessed, Pure, Holy”
•In South African Kai means "Beautiful"
•In Persian Kai means "Ruler" or "King"
•and in Maori, the native polynesian people of New Zealand, Kai means "Food" (hmm, yummy!)
•Caius likely derives from the Etruscan word "cai" meaning "glad".
•In Welsh Mythology Kay was one of the knights of the Round Table in Arthurian Legend.

Lovely name! A strong and beautifully sounding name! It is short, clear, easy to pronounce in any language, and it has so many and only positive meanings. The name Kai is also historical. Caius, from where Kai originates, was a very common name in the Roman Empire. Famous bearers were Caius Julius Caesar, Pope Caius (283-296), etc.
The name Kai could sound historic but also very modern, charming and masculine. What a smart and original name!

Jennifer Connely has a son named Kai. Cindy Crawford's daughter is named Kaia. Kai is the name of the boy in the "Snow Queen" fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.

The name Kai - makes me think of an intelligent, witty, handsome and cosmopolitan boy or man. It is very popular in Germany and Northern Europe. The Italian version of the name is spelled Caio (from Caius). Kai is getting more and more popular in England, Canada and Australia.

I LOVE this name. A strong, handsome-sounding name that is unique without being too over-the-top.

Kai reminds me of the bald-headed little boy named Caillou (KIE-yoo) on Noggin.

It originated in Northern Europe and means "Warrior" or "Fighter". Someone that never gives up.

Filipino-African actress Sharon Leal and Bev Land have a son Kai Miles Land, born October 2001.

As one who has been the bearer of this name, as my first name, I have found over fifty meanings from around the world. The list I had compiled has been lost in the shuffle, so I will submit what I can remember. Beginning with "my" ancestry I have found that the meaning in German is the Sea, and in Danish is Earth (like the Greek 'gaia') and in Scottish is Fire. In other cultures, my travels have taught me that in Native American it means Willow Tree, Stone, and Friend (depending on the tribe) and in Welsh it means Keeper of the Keys, in Hawaiian it means Ocean, and in Japanese it means Forgiveness. This is the extent of my memory at present, but I do know that when I had the list, there were so many more and all with different meanings. With that said, it's not easy to say what it really means, but I try to make it mean only the best things as I am an American and not terribly tied to "my" ancestors. I am living my life so that Kai will mean infinity and peace and wholeness, in American anyways!

The pronunciation is interesting as it is quite similar to the sacred sound om (pronounced aum like ahh) or god, gaia, all of which share the ahh sound. Kai has a crisp consonant it begins with, not unlike like flipping a lightswitch each time it is said. At the quantum level of reality, such as may be perceived in deep meditative trance states the primordial silence and darkness of oblivion with which light and sound of the manifest worlds can be experienced as they dance and chase each other into and out of existence at a rate so fast that only our consciousness can capture such perception, the sound one hears is quite more of a feeling throughout the body and resonates in harmony with the om/god/kali/kai/ahhh sound. Sorry if that's a bit beyond mere pronunciation!

My personal impression of the name Kai is not static, as I have found impressions change as often as new information arrives and old information is discarded. Imagine my surprise to learn it was contained in the Greek term triskaidekaphobia, which means 'fear of the number thirteen!' As you can imagine, I don't take it all too literally. It generally means very earthy and natural sorts of things which is perfect for me as I am simply a natural human with no religious or political or social views. Kai is a perfect name for me with it's natural meanings and my own love for all life on Earth and the Earth itself, which like the name Kai can be either masculine or feminine, such as Kelly or Jessie. Thank you for considering my experiences!

Sorry so long winded, but I do spend a fair 'amount' of time as Kai. In my life, I've met more women than men with the name, and at the same time I get a more masculine impression of the name (not the women who bear it!)

Just Googling around, I cannot find corroboration for this possible etymology, BUT I recall seeing the German name linked to the word "Kaiser," which made some sense to me. "Cesar" in French and Spanish might be its equivalents.

My son is called Kai and I love it. However it's sad how overused it's becoming.

When I was in elementary school in the mid 80s I had a pen pal named Kai from Sweden and I've loved the name always since then. It is simple, strong and sweet.

In a name book I own, I read that this name means "the fairer sex." I forget the language of origin though.

I would also add that in German and Danish MY name means king. Deriving from kaiser.
And in Japanese it's a female name meaning power also possibly sea.
(カイ) if you split the characters you get power カ y イ. Or cart if you take away イ.

Kai is also a fairly common name in China.

In Cantonese it means "unceasing, continual" and in Mandarin it means "victory, triumph".

Kai/Ky is a common nickname in the U.S. for the popular girls' name Kylie and the name Skyler.

It should remain a nickname, a diminutive-- no more, no less. "Kai" is incredibly feminine to me, especially considering that it is a very common petname for people bearing the name "Kaitlin/Catelin/etc," not to mention as full first itself. The idea that this appears 'masculine' is gag-inducing to me... as a full given name it is weak, unprofessional, pompous, beyond childish, unintelligent, and need I say it? Ugly.
It holds possibility of being labeled "kre8tiv," in English-speaking countries (especially the United States).

A Kai Reed does not sound like a surgeon to me, nor does a Kai Fitzgerald in the court room.

I urge prospect parents to use with discretion and caution, truly marinate the idea in your mind.

Kai is the boy from H. C. Andersen's book 'The Snow Queen', although he is called Kay in the original Danish version.

My name is Kaitlin and I call myself "Kai" in several places. I pronounce it "Ky" or as if you're saying "kite [ki-te]". I know it is used a lot in Japanese manga/anime and someone told me it means "and" in some language. Greek maybe? I'm not sure. And I'm pretty sure it means something in native Hawaiian too. Anyways, I think it's a really good name :)

Are you kidding me?! This is a name?! It sounds so incredibly "modern", "kreativ", and extremely childish! I honestly can't imagine anyone with this name over the age of ten. A perfect example of how dumb parents are getting these days. Absolutely disgusting.

I see this name is becoming very popular in the UK, US, Canada and Australia but Kai will never have the same popularity in New Zealand. Even though most of the country can't speak Maori, if there's one Maori word they know, it's Kai, meaning food. It would be a very strange name for someone here.