Meaning & Origin
a female given name
Kairi is a girl's and boy's baby name of Japanese origin, from the Japanese kai (sea) and ri (reason, village, benefit), meaning "sea" or "ocean village." In Japanese, it evokes the vast, reflective beauty of the Pacific.
Kairi is the beloved protagonist of the Kingdom Hearts video game series — the gentle, loyal girl from the islands who plays a central role in the franchise. That beloved fictional character has driven the name's growth in the United States among gamers and anime fans, giving it both a Japanese heritage and a contemporary pop-culture presence.