Total births
174
Unisex name · since 1970
Wai
174 babies named Wai in U.S. Social Security records since 1970, with the highest year being 1977. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 174
- total births
- 1970–1995
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 55%
- born in that decade
Wai is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 174 have been recorded since 1970.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Wai has been recorded 174 times among boys since 1970, though it is not among the currently most-used boys 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 1970 to 1995.
- 174 total births
- 1970–1995 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 55% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
174 boys have been named Wai since 1970, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 1995.
- 174
- total births
- 1970–1995
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 55%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
55% of everyone ever named Wai was born in this single decade.
1977
Single peak year
15 babies were named Wai in 1977 - its busiest year on record.
Wai's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Wai's SSA record in two at 1983 and the more recent half accounts for 49% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 51%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1970, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1977 peak of 15, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Wai at a glance
Last recorded 1995Peak year
1977
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1970
Wai popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1970–1995
- Peak year (1977)
- 15
- Annual births at peak, across 26 years of records
Wai popularity over time - girls
88 total births recorded since 1971 (Wai as girls' name)
Wai by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Wai's strongest decade.
96 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 55% of all-time use.
Wai births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
61 births
- 1980s
1980s
96 births
- 1990s 17
1990s
17 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 96 births (55% of all-time use).
Wai by state
Where Wai concentrates geographically, total births since 1970
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 70 | 40.2% |
New York share of Wai's total US births 40.2%
70 of 174 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Wai? ▼
Wai has been given to 174 babies in the U.S. since 1970, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1995. 15 babies were born in 1977, its single highest year.
When was Wai most popular? ▼
Wai was most popular in the 1980s decade with 96 total births. The single peak year was 1977.
Where is Wai most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Wai are New York (70 births).
Is Wai a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Wai is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 174 births, and as a girl's name it has 88 births.
How long has the name Wai been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Wai since 1970 -- 26 years through the most recent 1995 data.
What names are similar to Wai? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Waino, Waitman, Waid, Waine, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Wai's data
- Wai's decade-level peak was the 1980s (96 total births); usage has since declined to 17 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Wais (70 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Wai
Nearby Names Like Wai
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wai
Waino Boy
347 births
Waitman Boy
48 births
Waid Boy
45 births
Waine Boy
36 births
Waiks Boy
24 births
Compare Wai side by side: Wai vs Waino Wai vs Waitman Wai vs Waid
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1970–1995 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Wai: Baby Name Since 1970 - 174 Births, Peak 1977." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/wai. 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 Wai 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.