Fun Facts About the Name Makaii
- 55 babies named Makaii: U.S. records list 55 babies given the name Makaii from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Makaii Mean?
Makaii appears to be a variant spelling of Makai, a name taken from the Hawaiian word makai (also written ma kai when its parts are separated), which means "toward the sea" or "seaward." The word combines the preposition ma, meaning "at, in, on, toward," with kai, meaning "sea" or "salt water." The literal sense is directional - it is the opposite of mauka, "toward the mountains" - so the common English gloss "by the sea" is a looser reading of the same word rather than a separate etymology.
The second i is not part of the ordinary Hawaiian spelling of the word. In Hawaiian, vowel length is shown with a macron (the kahakō), and in plain-text settings a long vowel is sometimes written by doubling the letter, so a form like Makaii could represent a lengthened final vowel. It is equally possible that the doubled i is simply a decorative respelling with no grammatical meaning of its own. The evidence does not settle which of these is the case, so the derivation of this exact spelling is probable rather than certain.
Makaii Name History & Origins
Makai is an everyday Hawaiian word. On the islands it is used constantly in directions and place references to mean "toward the sea," paired with mauka for "toward the mountains" - telling someone to head makai means heading toward the ocean. The step from common word to personal name follows a familiar Hawaiian pattern of drawing given names from nature, direction, and place vocabulary. Names of this type are used in Hawaii and have also spread to the United States mainland as given names.
The spelling Makaii is far less common than Makai. It is most likely a secondary spelling of the same Hawaiian-derived name rather than a name with an independent origin, but no reliable documentation of its first use, or of any distinct meaning carried by the doubled vowel, is available. Because similar-looking names can arise separately in unrelated languages, another source cannot be ruled out entirely, though nothing in the evidence points to one.
How Popular is the Name Makaii?
Makaii 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 2023. Its best rank was #7,562 in 2023.
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 | #13,198 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #7,562 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #13,595 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #13,349 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #11,468 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #7,988 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #11,737 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #10,584 | 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 Makaii Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Makaii's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Makaii's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.