Total births
246
Unisex name · since 1998
Kalai
Since 1998, U.S. Social Security records show 246 babies named Kalai, peaking in 2025. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8657
- among boys today
- 246
- born since 1998
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 39%
- more common than other boys
Kalai currently ranks #8657 among unisex names in America, with 246 babies recorded since 1998.
Social Security Administration records show Kalai recorded 246 times among boys since 1998, holding rank #8657 nationally today, ahead of 39% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1998 to 2025.
- #8657 among boys today
- 246 born since 1998
- 2000s peak decade
- 39% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Kalai is currently the #8657 unisex name in America, more common than 39% of boys - 246 born since 1998, peaking in the 2000s.
- #8657
- among boys today
- 246
- born since 1998
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 39%
- more common than other boys
Kalai vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8657
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 39% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
41% of everyone ever named Kalai was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
19 babies were named Kalai in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Kalai compares
246 42nd percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kalai's all-time total is 33% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kalai | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 246 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 19 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kalai's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kalai splits its recorded history at 2011: 54% of all births land in the more recent half, 46% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 2023 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2025 peak of 19 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kalai at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2025
Current rank
#8,657
Active since
1998
Kalai popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1998–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 28 years of records
Kalai popularity over time - girls
72 total births recorded since 1991 (Kalai as girls' name)
Kalai by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Kalai's strongest decade.
100 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 41% of all-time use.
Kalai births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
- 2000s
2000s
100 births
- 2010s
2010s
84 births
- 2020s
2020s
56 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 100 births (41% of all-time use).
Kalai by state
Where Kalai concentrates geographically, total births since 1998
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hawaii | | 91 | 37.0% |
Hawaii share of Kalai's total US births 37.0%
91 of 246 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kalai? ▼
246 babies have been named Kalai since 1998. It currently ranks #8657 among boys. The peak year was 2025 with 19 births.
When was Kalai most popular? ▼
Kalai was most popular in the 2000s decade with 100 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Kalai most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kalai are Hawaii (91 births).
Is Kalai a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kalai is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 246 births, and as a girl's name it has 72 births.
How long has the name Kalai been used? ▼
Records for Kalai go back to 1998, giving 28 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kalai? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kaleb, Kale, Kalvin, Kalen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kalai's data
- Kalai's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (100 total births) through the 2020s (56) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Hawaii records the most Kalais (91 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Hawaii names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kalai
Nearby Names Like Kalai
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kalai
Kaleb Boy
#279 86,649 births
Kale Boy
#5270 7,379 births
Kalvin Boy
#1785 6,726 births
Kalen Boy
#2050 4,629 births
Kalel Boy
#1125 4,400 births
Compare Kalai side by side: Kalai vs Kaleb Kalai vs Kale Kalai vs Kalvin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kalai
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1998–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kalai: #8657 Unisex Name - 246 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kalai. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Kalai draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.