Unisex name · since 1953
Lai
231 babies named Lai in U.S. Social Security records since 1953, with the highest year being 1984. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #18,365 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 231
- born since 1953
- 1980s
- peak decade
231 girls have been named Lai since 1953, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Lai has been recorded 231 times among girls since 1953, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1953 to 2015.
- #18,365 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 231 born since 1953
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Lai ranks #18,365 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 231 born since 1953, peaking in the 1980s.
- #18,365 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 231
- born since 1953
- 1980s
- peak decade
Lai's 231 recorded births place it above 74.57% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
Lai's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Lai's SSA record in two at 1988 and the more recent half accounts for 50% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 50%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1953, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1984 peak of 17, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Lai popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1953–2015
- Peak year (1984)
- 17
- Annual births at peak, across 63 years of records
Lai popularity over time - boys
25 total births recorded since 1981 (Lai as boys' name)
Lai by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (94 births, 41% of the file).
1980s was Lai's strongest decade.
94 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 41% of all-time use.
Lai births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1970s 26
1970s
26 births
- 1980s
1980s
94 births
- 1990s
1990s
84 births
- 2000s 11
2000s
11 births
- 2010s 6
2010s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 94 births (41% of all-time use).
Lai by state
Where Lai concentrates geographically, total births since 1953
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 70 | 30.3% |
| #2 | New York | | 5 | 2.2% |
70 of 231 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Lai's data
- Lai's decade-level peak was the 1980s (94 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Lais (70 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Lai
Nearby Names Like Lai
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lai
Compare Lai side by side: Lai vs Laila Lai vs Lainey Lai vs Lailah
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Lai: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1984)
Similar record span (~62 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1953–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Lai 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 August 2026.