Mai: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Mai – Origin: kanji-dependent (Japanese) or English variant of Mae/May – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: MY


Mai is a kanji-dependent (Japanese) or English variant of Mae/May girl's name. It appears in 3 of our baby name lists.

Meaning & Origin of Mai

Origin: kanji-dependent (Japanese) or English variant of Mae/May.

A common claim: Widely said to mean 'dance' in Japanese Actually: 'Dance' only applies if the kanji 舞 is chosen for this name; 'Mai' is a phonetic reading that can be written with many different kanji, so it doesn't have one fixed meaning.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Mai

Phonetic: MY   IPA: /ˈmaɪ/

Popularity of Mai

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Lists That Include Mai

Similar Names

Suki · Rumi · Haru · Kai · Kaguya · Eva

More Baby Name Inspiration