Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Zai isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2001. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Zai through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 318
- 247 boys · 71 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 33 babies
- 2025
- 26
- #5,039 for boys · #14,895 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +51%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 20 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,039 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 75.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 6 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 494 as a first name in 2020; 171 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Zai’s family of names
In Greek usage, Zai as a surname is a transliteration of Ζάη. In Greek usage, Zai as a surname is a transliteration of Ζάι.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Zai
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Zai, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.