The baby name Zakai sounds like a modern mash-up of Zachary and Kai, but this newly discovered boys’ name has more to it.
Our Baby Name of the Day comes from this list.
WHAT DOES ZAKAI MEAN?
Will we ever use up all the Old Testament names?
Probably not. Or at least, we haven’t yet.
Because Zaccai or Zakkai comes from a Hebrew name meaning pure. There’s a minor Old Testament character by the name. He’s mentioned as the head of a large family returning from exile.
In Latin, the name became Zacchaeus.
It would be easy to wrap this one in with Zachary. Except Zachary name ultimately comes from Zechariah – God remembers.
Zakai’s meaning is more straightforward: pure.
YOHANAN BEN ZAKKAI
The Jewish sage Yohanan ben Zakkai lived and taught in the first century, during the era of the Second Temple. His writings are part of the Mishnah, the first major written collection of Jewish oral tradition.
Visit the Sea of Galilee today, and you can visit his grave, in the holy city of Tiberias.
He’s an important figure, one that might inspire some parents. Except the baby name Zakai doesn’t typically appear as a boy’s name on Jewish baby name websites. None of the other spellings do, either.
It does often appear as a surname, typically spelled Zakkai. So that might explain some of the name’s uses.
HOW POPULAR IS ZAKAI?
The name debuted in the US data back in 1998, when six boys were given the name. It’s gained steadily since, reaching 65 boys in 2006 and 104 boys in 2015.
It tipped into the Top 1000 with 239 births as of the May 2019 list.
By 2023, the baby name Zakai ranked #663 – the only of the spellings to appear in the US Top 1000.
ZAC MEETS KAI
While Old Testament names will forever be rediscovered, the baby name Zakai probably succeeds thanks to sound. That explains the preferred spelling, too.
Biblical boy name Zachary peaked in the 1990s, but it remains familiar today.
Kai can claim many origins and meanings, but we tend to think of it as a Hawaiian name meaning sea. And it’s a fast rising choice for boys, charting in the current Top 100.
The baby name Zakai combines those sounds – the modern, classic Zachary with the white hot Kai. And vowel ending names feel fresh and novel today, so that’s another plus. The initial Z gives nearly any name a boost, too.
That makes the baby name Zakai the perfect choice for parents crushed that Isaiah is so popular now. Built-in nickname Kai is yet another bonus.
What do you think of the baby name Zakai?
First published on September 25, 2019, this post was revised and re-published on August 30, 2024.
I really like this one, easy to say, great meaning, has some history but relatively unknown. I’ve been interested in names for decades, and yet every once in a while I get introduced a new gem like this, which is always a delight.
I wasn’t sure how to pronounce it. It helped to see Zach + Kai together
I like it. As far as it as a used Jewish name I think Zaki got transliteration traction. Same name in Hebrew. Personally I think I would spell it Zaccai, which might help English speakers put the accent on the second syllable. But it’s used.
I should ask my husband if he likes it. He vetoed a bunch of other Hebrew Z names I like.