Kai

The name Kai /ˈkaɪ/ has various origins and meanings in different cultures:

• In Japanese, Kai has a number of meanings, including "ocean" (海), "shell" (貝), "restoration" and "recovery." ^[1][2]
• In Ancient Greek, Kai (και) is a conjunction meaning "and"
• In Basque, Kai is a common word meaning "pier of a harbour" and a variant of the first name Kaio (from the old Latin name Caius).
• In Burmese, Kai means "strong" or "unbreakable".
• In Chinese, Kai is a common name that can have one of several meanings, including "triumphant" (凱).
• In Estonian, Kai is a female name meaning "pier".
• In Finnish, Kai is a common male name, Finnish form of Kaj. The term "kai" also means "probably" in Finnish.
• In Hawaiian, Kai means "ocean" or "ocean water".
• In Dutch, Kai means "archer"^{[citation needed]}.
• In Hmong, Kai is a male name that is sometimes spelled Kha.
• In Urdu, Kai is short for "Kainat", meaning "universe". It is usually a nickname, though it can be a real name too. Other nicknames for the same name may include Kaiskii, Kaina and Kaiya.
• In Māori, Kai means "food".
• In North Germanic languages, Kai means "keeper of the keys; earth". In Germanic languages, Kai means "quay" or "safe harbor".
• In Welsh, Kai is a popular given name normally spelt Cai, from the Arthurian legend of Sir Kay.
• In Cornish, Kai means "dog", and is often used as a dog name.
• In Swahilli, Kai means "loveable", and is given to a baby of female gender.

In Northern Ireland, data indicated that "Kai" experienced a significant rise in popularity as a male given name from 2002 to 2003. It has become popular in the UK, with many children born in the mid to late 1990s given the name. While it is typically a male given name, in recent years it has become popular among females as well.^[3]

Given name

• Kai Althoff (born 1966), German multimedia artist
• Kai Altair (born 1984), American musician
• Kai Bird (born 1951), American journalist
• Kai Budde (born 1979), German gamer
• Kai Diekmann (born 1964), German journalist
• Kai Donner (1888–1935), Finnish linguist
• Kai Eckhardt (born 1961), German musician
• Kai Eide (born 1949), Norwegian diplomat
• Kai Erikson (born 1931), American sociologist
• Kai Fagaschinski (born 1974), German musician
• Kai Fjell (1907–1989), Norwegian painter
• Kai Gehring (born 1977), German politician
• Kai Greene (born 1975), American bodybuilder
• Kai Hahto (born 1973), Finnish drummer
• Kai Hansen (born 1963), German musician
• Kai Holm (1896–1985), Danish actor
• Kai Holst (1913–1945), Norwegian resistance fighter
• Kai Johansen (1940–2007), Danish football player
• Kai Krause (born 1957), German software designer
• Kai Laukkanen (born 1975), Finnish motorcycle speedway rider
• Kai Londo (1845–1896), Sierra Leonese warrior king
• Kai Mosaker (Trym Torson; born 1974), Norwegian drummer
• Kai Nielsen
  • Kai Nielsen (1882–1924), Danish sculptor
  • Kai Nielsen (born 1926), Canadian philosopher
  • Sixten Kai Nielsen (born 1978), Danish artist
• Kai Niemi (born 1955), Finnish motorcycle speedway rider
• Kai Owen (born 1975), Welsh actor
• Kai Pahlman (born 1935), Finnish football player
• Kai Reus (born 1985), Dutch cyclist
• Kai Risholt (born 1979), Norwegian football player
• Kai Rüütel (born 1981), Estonian opera singer
• Kai Ryssdal (born 1963), American radio journalist
• Kai Siegbahn (1918–2007), Swedish physicist
• Kai Stephens, British musician
• Kai Tracid (born 1972), German DJ and producer
• Kai Wiesinger (born 1966), German actor
• Kai Winding (1922–1983), Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer
• Kai (born 1981), Japanese drummer of visual kei band The GazettE (ガゼット/Gazetto)
• Kai Zou (born 1988), a Chinese Olympic gymnast
• Kai (Kim Jongin) (born 1994), a member of a South Korean boy band EXO

Kaj (the Germanic form of Kai)

• Kaj Birksted, Danish fighter pilot
• Kaj Busch, Australian television presenter
• Kaj Christiansen (1921–2008), Danish football player
• Kaj Chydenius (born 1939), Finnish composer
• Kaj Franck (1911–1989), Finnish designer
• Kaj Frederiksen (1916–1991), Danish boxer
• Kaj Gnudtzmann (1880–1948), Danish gymnist
• Kaj Aksel Hansen (1917–1987), Danish football player
• Kaj Hansen (footballer born 1940) (1940–2009), Danish football player
• Kaj Hasselriis (born 1974), Canadian journalist
• Kaj Leo Johannesen (born 1964), Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands
• Kaj Munk (1898–1944), Danish playwright
• Kaj Stenvall (born 1951), Finnish artist
• Kaj Strand (1907-2000), Danish astronomer
• Kaj Uldaler (1906–1987), Danish football player
• Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang (1896–1959), Danish scientist
• Niels Kaj Jerne (1911–1994), Danish immunologist