An uncommon Japanese pick — distinctive and rare.
A female given name, a rare spelling variant of Mae/May, or borrowed from Scandinavia, with the same ultimate origin.
Mai is a girl's and boy's baby name of Japanese origin, meaning 'dance' or 'brightness' depending on the kanji. In Scandinavian countries, Mai is a form of May or Maria. It is also a Vietnamese name meaning 'plum blossom' — a symbol of resilience and beauty in Vietnamese culture, blooming in winter's cold.
Mai was #2335 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #3245, but its charm endures.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 261 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 516 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 746 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 1,656 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 1,586 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 252 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 107 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 77 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 45 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 94 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 128 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 83 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 29 | — |
| 1890s | 30 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 12 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 49 | #3245 |
| 2023 | 51 | #3207 |
| 2022 | 55 | #3014 |
| 2021 | 58 | #2908 |
| 2020 | 48 | #3255 |
| 2019 | 50 | #3202 |
| 2018 | 53 | #3086 |
| 2017 | 34 | #4275 |
| 2016 | 49 | #3310 |
| 2015 | 46 | #3459 |
| 2014 | 55 | #3066 |
| 2013 | 55 | #3031 |
| 2012 | 55 | #3070 |
| 2011 | 61 | #2856 |
| 2010 | 58 | #2962 |
| 2009 | 76 | #2500 |
| 2008 | 79 | #2434 |
| 2007 | 69 | #2669 |
| 2006 | 75 | #2472 |
| 2005 | 84 | #2193 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Mai has also been given to 20 boys in the U.S. since 1984.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1880–2024) · Methodology