Names ending with AI are having a moment.

First came Kai.

The brief, complete name means ocean in Hawaiian. It’s rocketed up the popularity charts, a fresh possibility that falls somewhere between traditional Jack and newer names like Beau.

Maybe the most interesting part of names ending with AI? They’re not specific to any language. Kai is Hawaiian – but also has roots in plenty of other languages, making it effortlessly international.

Lately, baby name trends seem to favor even more choices ending with -ai, from popular names like Kai to well-why-not possibilities like Kenai and Alizai.

Names on this list range from Polish and German to Japanese and Hindi – and beyond.

It’s tempting to link names ending with AI to the rise of artificial intelligence. But that doesn’t feel like the whole story. Instead, we’ve continued to embrace vowel endings, whether that means Ezra and Arlo for boys or Willow and Naomi for girls. 

Some of these given -ai names have been around for ages. Think Kai and Sarai and even the re-spelled Malakai. But as parents’ interest in distinctive name continues to grow, more modern families are seeking fresh options ending with this sound.

GIRL NAMES ENDING WITH AI

ELLENAI

Polish poet Juliusz Słowacki published the poem “Anhelli” in France in the year 1838. It’s a dark, pessimistic story of Polish exiles in Siberia. Ellenai is the companion of Anhelli; her death was depicted in a painting by Polish artist Jacek Malczewski several decades later. Ellenai isn’t a traditional given name in Poland, but it feels like it could work in our Eleanor/Lorelai moment.

IDAI

A Shona name, Idai is a command. It means “love them.” Shona languages are spoken in Zimbabwe and other parts of southern Africa.

LORELAI

Among the best-established girl names ending with AI, Lorelai is borrowed from German folklore.  Usage of Lorelai and Lorelei increased thanks to television sensation Gilmore Girls, but has outlasted that popular series.

MAI

An international possibility, Mai might be a substiute spelling for May and Mae in English. But it’s also a Vietnamese name meaning plum, an Arabic name meaning water, and a Japanese one with several possible interpretations. Pronunciation can vary, too, ranging from “my” to “may.”

MIRAI

American figure skater Mirai Nagasu put her Japanese name on the map. It means “future.”

NATSAI

Another Shona name.

SANAI

Sanaa, Sana, and Sanai are Arabic names meaning brilliance or splendor.

SARAI

Among the most familiar of names ending with AI, Sarai is the original for Sarah in the Old Testament. It means princess in Hebrew.

TAI

During the 1970s, figure skater Tai Babilonia found success with her pairs partner Randy Gardner. The duo competed in two Olympics and won the 1979 Worlds. Years later, 1995’s Clueless reinvented Jane Austen’s Emma. Emma became Cher, played by Alicia Silverstone. And Harriet? She was renamed Tai, played by Brittany Murphy. It’s also masculine in Chinese, and has been slightly more popular as a boy’s name in the US.

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BOY NAMES ENDING WITH AI

ADLAI

Old Testament masculine name with a modern sound.

ADONAI

A Hebrew phrase meaning “my Lord,” Adonai is equally spiritual and stylish.

ARIDAI

Another Old Testament name, this one quite rare.

DJAI

Rare Dutch name Djaï is pronounced with two syllables, but the origin and meaning are unclear.

ESAI, EZAI

Another form of Isaiah used in Greek is Esaias. Esai and Ezai are logical forms of that version of the name.

JAI

From a Hindi name meaning victory, Jai is a logical culture-spanning choice.

JAKAI

Almost certainly a creative take on Kai, Makai, and so many Ja- names.

KAI, KHAI

The name that started it all, Kai is typically considered Hawaiian – but it can have roots in many other languages. And while Khai is often just a creative take on Kai, it’s also a spelling with links to Vietnamese and Arabic.

KENAI

First used as a given name for a character in Disney’s Brother Bear, Kenai is an indigenous name borrowed from an Alaskan city and peninsula.

LEONAI

The name of a Brazilian footballer, and another inventive Leo option.

MAKAI

It might be another take on actor Mekhi Phifer’s unusual name. Makai can also have Hawaiian roots, either as a form of Matthew or a name related to Kai, the sea.

MALAKAI

In the Hebrew language, Malachi means “my messenger.” Malakai is a phonetic spelling, swapping the “chi” for “kai” to lead more logically to the nickname.

NICOLAI, NICHOLAI, NIKOLAI

Scandinavian and Slavic forms of Nicholas.

TOMAI

A cousin to Thomas.

YISHAI

An older form of Jesse.

ZAKAI

Zachary meets Kai, with a dash of Jakai and Makai, too.

UNISEX AI-ENDING NAMES

AHLAI

Also spelled Achlai, this name is of Hebrew origin. In it means roughly, “Ah, that …” That feelsl like something of a lament. It’s used for two separate figures in the Bible, one male and one female.

ALIZAI

A Pashto surname from Afghanistan, Alizai sounds like an update to Eliza.

AMISADAI

Slimmed-down form of the Biblical Ammishaddai.

ARISAI

Another Biblical rarity.

BAI

A Chinese name meaning pure.

CAI, KAI

Cai with a C is typically considered Welsh and linked to tales of King Arthur. It’s also often unisex.

CHAI

Another word for tea, but surprisingly appealing as a given name.

ELSHADDAI, ELSHADAI

From a Hebrew phrase meaning “God Almighty.”

KASAI, KASSAI

A Japanese name meaning flame.

KARDAI 

Another word for safflower.

KAUAI

While the name’s meaning is debated, Kaua’i is one of the main Hawaiian islands.

OJAI

California place name, borrowed from the indigenous Chumash language. It means “moon.”

SHAI

A Hebrew word meaning gift, and a possible nickname for Isaiah.

SKAI

A respelling of Sky with the AI ending. Actress Skai Jackson is one notable bearer.

Could one of these -ai ending chocies be the perfect name for your child?

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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2 Comments

  1. I like so many of these! When we realized we had a subtle -ai theme with our boys, Nikolai and Blaise, when we had our daughter we looked for names with -ai in them. When we realized Augusta Ingrid had AI as initials, it all fell into place (it was a big reason we went with that combo, plus her initials are AIM, which is pretty cool!)

  2. These are really interesting, I especially like Ellenai and Mirai! I’d only heard of Lorelai, Mai and Sarai before.