Tai
A female given name from Chinese.
Every Tai since 1922 — 4,937 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tai
Tai is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,536 in 2025 with 53 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1922, 4,937 American babies have been named Tai — about 63% boys and 37% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1980, when 199 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Tai stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tai year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #9,397 | 53 | #2,536 |
| 2024 | 12 | #8,891 | 58 | #2,413 |
| 2023 | 16 | #7,217 | 49 | #2,687 |
| 2022 | 16 | #7,254 | 55 | #2,513 |
| 2021 | 10 | #10,223 | 60 | #2,320 |
| 2020 | 15 | #7,533 | 59 | #2,320 |
| 2019 | 14 | #8,095 | 46 | #2,760 |
| 2018 | 10 | #10,481 | 49 | #2,612 |
| 2017 | 17 | #7,064 | 53 | #2,443 |
| 2016 | 16 | #7,563 | 60 | #2,253 |
| 2015 | 16 | #7,575 | 58 | #2,294 |
| 2014 | 15 | #8,014 | 70 | #2,039 |
| 2013 | 10 | #10,924 | 71 | #1,961 |
| 2012 | 15 | #8,177 | 72 | #1,980 |
| 2011 | 24 | #5,708 | 89 | #1,686 |
| 2010 | 14 | #8,656 | 71 | #1,971 |
| 2009 | 22 | #6,291 | 90 | #1,730 |
| 2008 | 27 | #5,419 | 84 | #1,791 |
| 2007 | 36 | #4,285 | 103 | #1,535 |
| 2006 | 31 | #4,676 | 121 | #1,348 |
| 2005 | 36 | #4,023 | 107 | #1,400 |
| 2004 | 41 | #3,620 | 133 | #1,177 |
| 2003 | 36 | #3,867 | 131 | #1,154 |
| 2002 | 48 | #3,062 | 88 | #1,458 |
| 2001 | 42 | #3,309 | 95 | #1,356 |
| 2000 | 32 | #3,970 | 101 | #1,288 |
| 1995 | 23 | #4,500 | 44 | #1,951 |
| 1990 | 38 | #3,017 | 36 | #2,081 |
| 1985 | 38 | #2,590 | 26 | #2,167 |
| 1980 | 159 | #947 | 40 | #1,543 |
| 1975 | 14 | #4,566 | 16 | #2,628 |
| 1970 | 5 | #9,167 | 10 | #3,257 |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Tai
- Tai Jia Politician · -1550–-1720
- Tai Wu Politician · -1700–-1562
- Tai Geng Politician · -1700–-1667
- Tai Kang Politician
- Tai Orathai Singer · b. 1980
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tai mean?
A female given name from Chinese.
How popular is the name Tai in 2025?
Tai ranked #2,536 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 53 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tai?
4,937 babies have been named Tai in the United States since 1922, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tai most popular?
Tai peaked in 1980, when 199 newborns received the name.
Is Tai a boy or girl name?
Tai is used for both: about 37% of babies named Tai have been girls and 63% boys.
Is the name Tai rising or falling?
Tai has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Tai?
Well-known people named Tai include Tai Jia (politician), Tai Wu (politician), Tai Geng (politician).