Namebino · Girl names · Boy names

Cai

Boy's name · #2113 in the US (2025) · 2020s wave

Popularity over time

Cai is near its high-water mark: it reached #1612 in 2022 and still ranked #2113 in 2025. About 1,500 boys have carried it since 1989.

Across the states

See where Cai is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 6 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Cai ranks in other countries and regions.

#690 in England & Wales (2025) · #797 in Scotland (2025) · #2,924 in Canada (2024).

Famous Cais

• Cai Shu — High Jumper
• Cai Hegermann-Lindencrone — Danish general and politician (1807–1893)
• Cai A. Vagn-Hansen — Danish jurist
• Cai Jinbiao — Chinese footballer (born 1954)
• Cai Griffiths — Welsh rugby union player (born 1984)

As a surname

It is also an American family name — about 8,500 people carried it as a surname in the 2010 census.

• Wei Cai — Chinese-American mechanical engineer
• T. Tony Cai — Statistician
• Rovina Cai — Australian fantasy artist and illustrator

In stories & tradition

• Cai Shen — Chinese god of prosperity
• Cai Zhong — The Romance of the Three Kingdoms (book)
• Cai — Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave (video game)

What Cais become

Among 106 notable people named Cai:

Spellings & nicknames

Cai is a rare spelling of Kai — about 2% of babies given the name are written this way; Kai itself ranked #93 in 2025.

Similar names: Khai · Kadence · Kain · Akai · Saylor · Caison

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service