UK boy's name
Kitai
A Japanese name meaning "hope" or "expectation".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kitai is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kitai popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4747, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2014 to 2015. 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 7 living people in the UK are called Kitai. 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 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kitai ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 4 boys were registered as Kitai.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kitai as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4747
2015
Births in 2015
3
Latest year
Peak year
2014
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Kitai mean?
The name Kitai is believed to have originated from the Mongolian language, where it carries the meaning of "patience" or "endurance." This name can be traced back to the ancient Mongol Empire, which spanned across vast regions of Asia during the 13th and 14th centuries.
The roots of the name Kitai are closely tied to the nomadic lifestyle and cultural traditions of the Mongol people. In their language, the word "kitai" was used to describe the qualities of resilience and perseverance, highly valued virtues in the harsh environments they inhabited.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kitai can be found in the Secret History of the Mongols, a 13th-century literary work that chronicles the life and conquests of Genghis Khan. It is believed that some of Genghis Khan's followers or military commanders may have borne this name, as a testament to their unwavering loyalty and endurance on the battlefield.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Kitai. One such figure was Kitai Khan (1272-1324), a descendant of Genghis Khan who ruled over the Chagatai Khanate, a prominent Mongol territory spanning modern-day Central Asia.
Another prominent bearer of this name was Kitai Batyr (1783-1837), a celebrated Kazakh warrior and national hero known for his bravery and resistance against the Dzungar Khanate in the 18th century.
In the realm of literature, Kitai Aitmatov (1928-2008) was a celebrated Kyrgyz writer and Soviet-era author, whose works explored themes of tradition, modernity, and the human condition. His novel "The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years" is considered a masterpiece of Kyrgyz literature.
The name Kitai also gained prominence in the realm of Mongolian folklore and oral traditions. One such figure is Kitai the Blacksmith, a legendary hero known for his extraordinary strength and skill in forging weapons and armor.
Another historical figure bearing this name was Kitai Bator (1921-1997), a Mongolian politician and statesman who served as the first Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Mongolia in the late 20th century.
While the name Kitai has its roots in the Mongolian language and culture, its meaning and symbolism have resonated across various regions and ethnicities, reflecting the values of resilience, perseverance, and strength of character.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kitai over time
The chart below shows babies named Kitai registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2014 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kitai, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kitai by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kitai 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4321 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Kitai
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kitai: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kitai in the UK right now?
In 2015, Kitai was ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kitai most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 4 babies registered as Kitai in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kitai?
A Japanese name meaning "hope" or "expectation".
How many people are called Kitai in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Kitai across the 2 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.