Nakai
Below 5 births
2025 SSA
About Nakai
Nakai is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins, most prominently from Native American Navajo language where it means 'wanderer' or 'one who travels.' In Japanese, it can be written with characters meaning 'middle well' or various other combinations. The name has gained modest popularity in the United States in recent decades, appealing to parents seeking names with cultural significance and natural connections. Nakai's brief, distinctive sound with balanced vowels and consonants makes it both memorable and easy to pronounce across languages. The name resonates with qualities of independence, exploration, and natural harmony, making it attractive to parents looking for names that convey strength and a sense of journey or purpose.
Nakai is also given to girls.
Pronounced nah-KY.
As of October 2026, Nakai ranked #2275 for boys in US births in 2025 and #11800 for girls in US births in 2024 SSA, peaked at #6079 for girls in 1974.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #3,141 | 36 | 18.7 |
| 2015 | #3,065 | 38 | 19.8 |
| 2016 | #3,412 | 33 | 17.4 |
| 2017 | #2,986 | 40 | 21.6 |
| 2018 | #3,957 | 27 | 14.9 |
| 2019 | #3,539 | 32 | 17.8 |
| 2020 | #3,320 | 34 | 19.7 |
| 2021 | #2,479 | 54 | 30.9 |
| 2022 | #3,037 | 41 | 23.5 |
| 2023 | #2,719 | 48 | 28.1 |
| 2024 | #3,073 | 40 | 23.2 |
| 2025 | #2,275 | 62 | 36.3 |
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