UK boy's name
Mekai
Unisex name of modern creation, meaning "blessing from God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Mekai is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Mekai popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3830, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 5 births.
This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2005 to 2011. 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 16 living people in the UK are called Mekai. 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 2012 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Mekai ranked #3830 for boys in England and Wales in 2011, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 5 boys were registered as Mekai.
- • About 16 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mekai as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3830
2011
Births in 2011
4
Latest year
Peak year
2006
5 births
Estimated living
16
2026
Meaning
What does Mekai mean?
The given name Mekai is believed to have its origins in the Akan language spoken by the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast in West Africa. The name is thought to be derived from the Akan word "me-kai," which means "I am alive" or "I have life."
The name Mekai is thought to have been in use among the Akan people for several centuries, although the exact time period of its origin is uncertain. It is possible that the name was inspired by the reverence for life and the belief in the continuity of the soul held by many traditional African cultures.
While there are no known historical references to the name Mekai in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that the name was used in oral traditions and folklore passed down through generations among the Akan people.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Mekai dates back to the late 19th century, when it was given to a child born in the Ashanti region of Ghana. However, the name did not gain widespread popularity outside of the Akan community until the 20th century.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Mekai. One of the earliest recorded was Mekai Nkrumah (1909-1972), a Ghanaian politician and activist who played a significant role in Ghana's independence movement.
Another notable Mekai was Mekai Lumumba (1925-1961), a Congolese independence leader and the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was assassinated in 1961, shortly after taking office.
In the world of sports, there was Mekai Griffey (born in 1970), an American former professional baseball player who played for several Major League Baseball teams, including the Seattle Mariners and the Cincinnati Reds.
In the realm of literature, Mekai Achebe (1930-2013) was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who wrote extensively about the challenges of postcolonial Africa and the preservation of African culture and traditions.
More recently, Mekai Kalonda (born in 1980) is a South African actor and television personality who has appeared in numerous films and television shows, both in South Africa and internationally.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mekai over time
The chart below shows babies named Mekai registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Mekai, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2011, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mekai by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mekai 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 | #3830 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3470 | 12 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Mekai
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Mekai: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mekai in the UK right now?
In 2011, Mekai was ranked #3830 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Mekai most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 5 babies registered as Mekai in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mekai?
Unisex name of modern creation, meaning "blessing from God".
How many people are called Mekai in the UK?
A total of 16 babies have been registered as Mekai across the 4 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.