Cai

“Variant of Caius — Latin, from a root meaning "to rejoice"” — Welsh, from Latin Caius/Gaius origin

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

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. It is also an American family name — about 8,500 people carry it as a surname, according to US census data. Cai is a rare spelling of Kai — about 2% of babies given the name are written this way; Kai itself ranked #93 in 2025.

Around the world: about 1 in 5,200 boys in England & Wales (2025) · about 1 in 6,500 boys in Scotland (2025).

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

Famous Cais

Cai Shu — High Jumper
Cai Hegermann-Lindencrone — Danish general and politician (1807-1893)
Cai A. Vagn-Hansen — Danish jurist
Cai Shangyan — Chinese athletics competitor
Cai Jinbiao — footballer

In stories & tradition

Cai Shen — deity
Cai Zhong — The Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Cai He — The Romance of the Three Kingdoms

What Cais become

Among 450 notable people named Cai:

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

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

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