Boy name · Multiple
Kai
Kai is a boy's name of Multiple origin, meaning "Sea (Hawaiian), forgiveness (Japanese)". It has a fresh, current feel next to more traditional names, and we file it here as a modern and an internationally-recognised name — useful shorthand if you're building a shortlist around a particular feel rather than starting from scratch.
At a glance
- Meaning
- Sea (Hawaiian), forgiveness (Japanese)
- Origin
- Multiple
- Gender
- Boy
- Style
- modern, international
Names similar to Kai
Sharing at least one style with Kai — a starting point if you like the feel but want more options.
Sibling name pairings
Names that share Kai's style, if you're planning ahead for a brother or sister.
Questions about the name Kai
What does the name Kai mean?
Kai is of Multiple origin and means "Sea (Hawaiian), forgiveness (Japanese)".
Is Kai a popular baby name in the UK?
Naming trends shift every year, so rather than quote a number that goes stale, check the current official rankings on the Office for National Statistics' baby names release — search "Kai" at ons.gov.uk for the latest England & Wales data.
What names are similar to Kai?
Names with a similar style to Kai include Finn, Luca, Zayn, Rafferty.
For current official UK popularity rankings, see the ONS baby names statistics for England and Wales — the only authoritative live source. Explore more names in our Baby Name Finder, or try our due date calculator if you're just getting started.
Reviewed July 2026.