Fun Facts About the Name Chai
- 647 babies named Chai: U.S. records list 647 babies given the name Chai from 1880 through 2025. Even 263 girls received the name Chai.
What Does the Name Chai Mean?
Chai is a masculine given name with more than one independent origin. In Hebrew it comes from the word ḥay (חַי), meaning "living" or "life." It shares a root with the longer name Chaim (חַיִּים), which uses a plural form of the same root and is also given as a name meaning "life." The word appears in the traditional toast l'chaim ("to life") and in the phrase Am Yisrael chai ("the people of Israel live").
In Thai, Chai represents ชัย (chai), a word taken from Sanskrit jaya, "victory." Thai also has the similar-sounding ชาย (chaai), "man," which is a separate word. In Chinese, Chai is a romanization of the surname 柴, "firewood" (Mandarin Chái; the Cantonese romanization is Chai).
Chai Name History & Origins
The Hebrew name rests on the root ḥ-y-y, which concerns living. In the Hebrew Bible the word appears as an adjective, noun, and oath formula - for example, Elohim ḥayyim, "living God," and ḥai YHWH, "as the LORD lives." As a personal name, Chai belongs to the same family as Chaim and Ḥayyim, which became widely used in Ashkenazi Jewish communities. Chai is given in Israel and among Jewish families elsewhere, sometimes on its own and sometimes as a shorter form alongside Chaim.
The Thai name derives from the Sanskrit jaya, which entered Thai as ชัย. It is one of the most common elements in Thai male personal names, combined with other words in names such as Somchai, Chaiwat, and Chatchai, and it is also used alone. The Chinese surname 柴 is written Chai mainly in Cantonese-based romanization, while Mandarin gives Chái; it appears among Chinese communities in southern China and overseas.
How Popular is the Name Chai?
Chai has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2020. Its best rank was #3,293 in 1984.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,468 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #11,283 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #8,575 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #10,555 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #7,023 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2020 | #6,686 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 2018 | #10,744 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #12,173 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #13,464 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #15,224 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #17,564 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #13,991 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #15,787 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #11,829 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #15,518 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #13,295 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #16,616 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #14,206 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #12,466 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #13,851 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #10,051 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #12,746 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #8,466 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #12,118 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #10,711 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #8,240 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #13,826 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #12,019 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #10,457 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #11,069 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #10,029 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #10,743 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #9,294 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #8,601 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,918 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #5,936 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #8,369 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #9,135 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #9,901 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #10,834 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #9,043 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #9,852 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #9,873 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #8,932 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #9,883 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #8,893 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #12,557 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #9,121 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #11,294 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #7,176 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #6,987 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #7,735 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #7,625 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #7,327 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #8,597 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #5,171 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #8,330 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #8,870 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #9,849 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #7,405 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #6,589 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #5,183 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #3,935 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1993 | #3,846 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #4,928 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #4,036 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #4,713 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #4,867 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #4,497 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #3,760 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #4,919 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #4,089 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #3,293 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #5,005 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #5,742 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #3,643 | 11 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Chai Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Chai's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Chai's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.