Fun Facts About the Name Katai
- 179 babies named Katai: U.S. records list 179 babies given the name Katai from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Katai Mean?
Katai has no single established meaning as a given name. In Japanese use, it is more often a surname than a given name, and its meaning depends on the kanji used. One writing is 片井, made of kata (片, "one side") and i (井, "well"), literally "a well on one side" or "side well." Because Japanese names can be written with different characters, the same reading can carry different meanings.
The form also occurs as a Hungarian surname. It belongs to the group of Hungarian surnames ending in -i, which often indicate origin or association; Katai is often explained as a derivative of Kata, a short form of Katalin (Catherine), but it is a family name rather than a standard given name. The Japanese and Hungarian names are not known to share an origin.
Katai Name History & Origins
Japanese family names became hereditary and legally registered during the Meiji period. A surname written 片井 fits the common pattern of a name taken from a well or a local feature, but the specific family history behind any one Katai household would depend on its own records. The Japanese novelist Tayama Katai used Katai as a pen name, written 花袋; this is a separate literary name, not evidence for the origin of the surname.
Hungarian surnames ending in -i often point to a place or to a personal name. Katai is consistent with that pattern and is usually explained as a derivative of Kata, but the surname's development is separate from Japanese Katai. No reliable evidence establishes a single origin for Katai as an English-language given name.
How Popular is the Name Katai?
Katai 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 2014. Its best rank was #3,269 in 2014.
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 | #12,979 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #11,627 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #6,711 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2022 | #6,656 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #5,451 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2020 | #9,132 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #6,983 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #7,893 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #5,940 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2016 | #5,924 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #4,229 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2014 | #3,269 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2013 | #10,202 | 7 | 0.0004% |
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 Katai Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Katai's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Katai's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.