UK name, mostly boys
Hai
A Vietnamese unisex name meaning "ocean" or "maritime".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Hai is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Hai popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 4 births.
This profile covers 22 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2000 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 22 living people in the UK are called Hai. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Hai ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 4 boys were registered as Hai.
- • About 22 living people in the UK are estimated to have Hai as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 84.6% of Hai registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
4 births
Estimated living
22
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Hai
In England and Wales birth records, Hai has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 84.6% of registrations are for boys and 15.4% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Hai registered for boys
- Ranked #5,119 in 2024
- 3 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2000 (4 births)
Hai registered for girls
- Ranked #3,594 in 2003
- 4 girls registered in 2003
- Peak: 2003 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Hai mean?
The name Hai has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture. It is derived from the Hebrew word "chai," which means "life" or "alive." The name has been in use since ancient times and is believed to have been first recorded in Hebrew scriptures and religious texts.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Hai can be found in the Bible, specifically in the Book of Ezra, where a man named Hai is mentioned as one of the Levites who returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity in the 5th century BCE.
In the later centuries, the name Hai became popular among Jewish communities throughout Europe and the Middle East. One notable figure bearing this name was Hai Gaon, a renowned Jewish scholar and leader of the Academy of Sura in Babylonia, who lived from around 939 CE to 1038 CE.
Another prominent individual with the name Hai was Hai ben Sherira, a prominent Jewish scholar and philosopher from Mesopotamia who lived in the 10th century CE. He was known for his contributions to Talmudic literature and his works on Jewish law and philosophy.
In the 12th century CE, Hai ben Bakoudah was a renowned Jewish philosopher and poet from Spain. He was known for his works on ethics and philosophy, as well as his poetic contributions to the Hebrew liturgy.
Moving forward in history, Hai Gaon II was a prominent Jewish scholar and leader of the Academy of Sura in Babylonia, who lived in the late 11th century CE. He was known for his contributions to Talmudic studies and his efforts to revive the Academy of Sura during a period of decline.
In the 19th century, Hai Gaon III was a respected Jewish scholar and leader of the Jewish community in Baghdad, Iraq. He was known for his works on Jewish law and his efforts to promote Jewish education and scholarship in the region.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Hai, which has its roots in the ancient Hebrew language and culture, and has been associated with life, vitality, and scholarly pursuits within Jewish communities over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Hai over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Hai in England and Wales, from 2000 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Hai, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hai by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Hai was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5119 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4743 | 9 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3662 | 10 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Hai
- Harry 141,693
- Henry 65,177
- Harrison 45,958
- Harvey 35,648
- Harley 22,095
- Hugo 18,779
- Hayden 12,622
- Hunter 10,350
- Hudson 9,104
- Hamza 8,564
- Hassan 5,982
- Hasan 3,599
FAQ
Hai: questions and answers
How popular is the name Hai in the UK right now?
In 2024, Hai was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Hai most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 4 babies registered as Hai in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Hai?
A Vietnamese unisex name meaning "ocean" or "maritime".
How many people are called Hai in the UK?
A total of 22 babies have been registered as Hai across the 7 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.