A Swahili name gently fading from the charts.
Khari is a boy's and girl's baby name of Swahili origin, meaning 'kingly, like a king' or 'regal' — from the Swahili khari (royal, kingly). It is also found in Arabic contexts meaning 'charitable, generous.'
Used in African-American communities and among families with East African heritage, Khari carries the dignified aspiration of royalty. Its single-syllable crispness belies the weight of meaning it carries — a name that is brief in sound but expansive in implication.
Khari climbed 866 spots in the last 20 years — from #2088 to #1222.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,486 | ▲ |
| 2010s | 1,247 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 576 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 958 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 100 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 285 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 164 | #1222 |
| 2023 | 296 | #828 |
| 2022 | 315 | #798 |
| 2021 | 331 | #757 |
| 2020 | 380 | #677 |
| 2019 | 293 | #789 |
| 2018 | 217 | #955 |
| 2017 | 214 | #968 |
| 2016 | 169 | #1143 |
| 2015 | 108 | #1525 |
| 2014 | 74 | #1950 |
| 2013 | 39 | #2927 |
| 2012 | 50 | #2506 |
| 2011 | 48 | #2569 |
| 2010 | 35 | #3211 |
| 2009 | 45 | #2730 |
| 2008 | 51 | #2492 |
| 2007 | 41 | #2898 |
| 2006 | 54 | #2339 |
| 2005 | 47 | #2453 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Though more common for boys, Khari has a notable history as a girl's name too, with 1,898 births since 1976.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1971–2024) · Methodology