Sai
Masculine · “saint”
Sai is given to both — 1,696 boys and 463 girls since 1880. See other names given to both
Sai belongs to two worlds — the Indian saint Sai Baba of Shirdi, and the Japanese sai, which depending on the character means talent, color or a rhinoceros.
How old is the name Sai?
Sai first appears in US birth records in 1972 — 53 years ago. The typical Sai alive today was born around 2012, making them about 13 years old. About 1,700 people named Sai are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Sai most popular?
Sai peaked in 2019, reaching #1849 nationally. Today it ranks #1852, 3 places below that high. See the whole 2019 chart.
Sai appears on this list:
Where it comes from
From sai to Sai
The story of Sai
Sai Baba of Shirdi died in 1918 and is venerated by both Hindus and Muslims in India, which is unusual; the name Sai spread very widely in southern India from his cult, especially in Telugu-speaking regions. Separately, Sai is an ordinary Japanese name element. Both routes brought it to America, where it is in current use.
Meaningscholars disagree
saint; talent
The Indian Sai comes from the title of Sai Baba of Shirdi, generally read from the Persian sai, 'holy one' or 'saint'. The Japanese Sai is written with several characters meaning 'talent', 'color' or 'again'. The Telugu Sai is a separate use again. All are genuine and none is dominant.
How the name formed
- sai
- Sai
Related forms: సాయి · 彩 · Sai
Pronouncing Sai
SY
One syllable in Indian use. Japanese gives it two light beats, SA-ee.
Nicknames for Sai
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1972
- Most boys named
- 202585 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #1849reached in 2019
- Change vs 2024
- +25.0%85 in 2025, from 68
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Sai in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- సాయి in Telugu — transliteration
- 彩 in Japanese — transliteration
- Sai in Chinese — same name
Strongest US states over the last decade: California, New York, Texas.
Sais among us
people named Sai are estimated to be alive in the US today
About 1 boy in 20,095 born in 2025 was named Sai
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
What happens to a name after it peaks
The Nicholis test
Every popular name lives one long story — a climb, a peak, a slow settling back. Sai's later chapters haven't been written yet, so we borrowed them: Nicholis climbed just as high around 1988, and its whole arc is on record. Line the two peaks up, and Nicholis's path sketches the road Sai is walking now.
Sai sits in the calm middle of the cycle — neither chasing a wave nor sliding off one. Middle-of-the-cycle names age slowly and predictably.
A scored estimate from 146 years of naming cycles — not a prophecy. Great names outlive statistics. How this is scored
Where Sai is headed
Sai should hold steady through 2030 — the curve is flat, and flat curves are the most predictable kind.
Medium confidence — fitted on official counts through 2025.
A damped-trend projection of the official birth data — a sketch of momentum, not a promise. Every name's forecast, ranked.
Sai beside its neighbors
The names ranked closest to Sai in 2025, in babies rather than position — the bars are to scale.
US boys given each name in 2025.
The trade-off
- A saint venerated across two religions is a genuinely rare thing.
- It is current in Indian, Japanese and Chinese naming.
- Three letters, short and internationally legible.
- The meaning depends entirely on which tradition and character are meant.
- The syllable count differs between Indian and Japanese readings.
- It is very short and can be swallowed by a long surname.
Nobody names a baby alone.
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What they receive
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Sai
Masculine · #1852 in the U.S.
Frequently asked
- How many Sais are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 1,700 people named Sai are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Sai in 2025?
- Sai ranks #1852 among US boy names in 2025, with 85 babies given the name.
- How rare is the name Sai?
- About 1 in every 20,095 US boys born in 2025 was named Sai — 85 in all.
- Will my child share the name Sai with classmates?
- Sai will almost certainly be the only one in school.
Ranked beside Sai
Names sitting at a similar level of popularity right now.
Aston#1852 · Loki#1852 · Sammy#1852 · Kyrin#1852 · Reggie#1852 · Richie#1852 · Riyan#1852 · Orin#1852
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Sai? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Sai and another name?
See them side by side — full stats, history and a gentle verdict.
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Your gut first, the numbers after — the split shows once you pick.
US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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