Total births
9,298
Boys' name · since 1989
Makai
Since 1989, U.S. Social Security records show 9,298 babies named Makai, peaking in 2025. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #533
- among boys today
- 9,298
- born since 1989
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other boys
9,298 babies have been named Makai since 1989, making it today's #533 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Makai has been recorded 9,298 times among boys since 1989, currently ranked #533 nationally and more common than 96% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1989 to 2025.
- #533 among boys today
- 9,298 born since 1989
- 2010s peak decade
- 96% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Makai is currently the #533 boys' name in America, more common than 96% of boys - 9,298 born since 1989, peaking in the 2010s.
- #533
- among boys today
- 9,298
- born since 1989
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other boys
Makai vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#533
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 96% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
42% of everyone ever named Makai was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
626 babies were named Makai in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Makai compares
9,298 Top 9% higher than 91% of 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
Makai's all-time total is 25x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Makai | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 9,298 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 626 | 23 | 22,252 |
Makai's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Makai's full recorded timeline at 2009, 83% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 17% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1989, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2025 peak of 626 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Makai at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2025
Current rank
#533
Active since
1989
Makai popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1989–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 626
- Annual births at peak, across 37 years of records
Makai popularity over time - girls
311 total births recorded since 1997 (Makai as girls' name)
Makai by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Makai's strongest decade.
3,921 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 42% of all-time use.
Makai births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s 145
1990s
145 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,807 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,921 births
- 2020s
2020s
3,420 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 3,921 births (42% of all-time use).
How Makai compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Makai's total volume
Makai vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Makai by state
Where Makai concentrates geographically, total births since 1989
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,161 | 12.5% |
| #2 | Florida | | 742 | 8.0% |
| #3 | New York | | 557 | 6.0% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 503 | 5.4% |
| #5 | Texas | | 486 | 5.2% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 405 | 4.4% |
| #7 | Maryland | | 379 | 4.1% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 295 | 3.2% |
California share of Makai's total US births 12.5%
Even split
1,161 of 9,298 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 40 reporting states.
Makai appears in 40 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Makai? ▼
Since 1989, Social Security records show 9,298 babies named Makai. Today it holds rank #533 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2025, with 626 births.
When was Makai most popular? ▼
Makai was most popular in the 2010s decade with 3,921 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Makai most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Makai are California (1,161 births), Florida (742 births), New York (557 births).
How long has the name Makai been used? ▼
Makai has been recorded in Social Security data since 1989, spanning 37 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Makai? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Makhi, Maksim, Makari, Makoa, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Makai's data
- Makai's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (3,921 total births) through the 2020s (3,420) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Makais (1,161 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Makai
Nearby Names Like Makai
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Makai
Makhi Boy
#1980 4,131 births
Maksim Boy
#1932 2,678 births
Makari Boy
#974 1,815 births
Makoa Boy
#1117 1,480 births
Makaio Boy
#1469 1,338 births
Compare Makai side by side: Makai vs Makhi Makai vs Maksim Makai vs Makari
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Makai
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1989–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Makai: #533 Boys' Name - 9,298 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/makai. 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 Makai 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 June 2026.