UK name, mostly boys
Tai
Derived from Chinese, meaning "big" or "great".
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.
Tai is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Tai popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1859, with 13 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 44 births.
This profile covers 679 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 30% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 699 living people in the UK are called Tai. 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
- • Tai ranked #1859 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 13 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 44 boys were registered as Tai.
- • Tai ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #375 in 2011.
- • About 699 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tai as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 91.4% of Tai registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1859
2024
Births in 2024
13
Latest year
Peak year
2010
44 births
Estimated living
699
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Tai
In England and Wales birth records, Tai has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 91.4% of registrations are for boys and 8.6% 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.
Tai registered for boys
- Ranked #1,859 in 2024
- 13 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2010 (44 births)
Tai registered for girls
- Ranked #5,687 in 2023
- 3 girls registered in 2023
- Peak: 2003 (11 births)
Meaning
What does Tai mean?
The name Tai is believed to have its origins in various Asian cultures and languages. In Thai, the name can mean "freedom" or "air," while in Chinese, it can be interpreted as "great" or "supreme." Additionally, in Japanese, the name Tai can signify "thick" or "plentiful."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tai can be found in ancient Chinese texts, where it was often used as a title or honorific for esteemed individuals. It was also a common name among the ruling classes and nobility in various dynasties throughout Chinese history.
In the realm of historical figures, one notable individual with the name Tai was Tai Zong, an emperor of the Tang Dynasty who reigned from 626 to 649 CE. He is renowned for his military conquests, administrative reforms, and patronage of the arts and literature during his reign.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Tai was Tai Shang, a Chinese philosopher and religious figure who lived during the 2nd century CE. He is credited with founding the Way of the Celestial Masters, a significant Taoist movement that influenced the development of Chinese religion and spirituality.
Moving to Japan, the name Tai has also been associated with several historical personalities. One such figure was Tai no Yakamochi, a renowned Japanese waka poet who lived during the 8th century CE. His works are included in the prestigious Manyoshu, one of the oldest existing collections of Japanese poetry.
In more recent times, Tai Chi Chuan, a renowned Chinese martial art and practice for cultivating physical and mental well-being, was developed by Tai Chi masters such as Chen Wangting, who lived in the 17th century CE. The name Tai in this context is often associated with the philosophical and spiritual aspects of this ancient practice.
Lastly, the name Tai has also been popularized in various forms of entertainment and popular culture. For instance, Tai Borden was a character in the popular American television series "Sister, Sister," which aired in the 1990s and early 2000s, further contributing to the recognition and familiarity of the name in Western societies.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Tai over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Tai in England and Wales, from 1996 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 Tai, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 13 births in 2024, compared with 44 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tai by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tai 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 | #2334 | 47 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1267 | 227 | 10 |
| 2000s | #705 | 341 | 10 |
| 1990s | #956 | 64 | 4 |
Geography
Where Tai is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Tai. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Tai ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #375 in 2011.
Across the UK
Tai in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#687 in 2013
6 years of NRS records, 23 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#375 in 2011
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Tai
-
Tai Jason
musician
German musician
1979-
-
Tai Shani
visual artist; artist; multimedia artist
British artist
1976-
Related
Names similar to Tai
- Thomas 160,894
- Tyler 42,147
- Theo 40,594
- Toby 32,482
- Theodore 30,211
- Tommy 25,300
- Teddy 20,781
- Taylor 14,354
- Tobias 13,102
- Tom 9,822
- Tristan 9,171
- Timothy 6,200
FAQ
Tai: questions and answers
How popular is the name Tai in the UK right now?
In 2024, Tai was ranked #1859 for boys in England and Wales, with 13 births registered.
When was Tai most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 44 babies registered as Tai in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Tai?
Derived from Chinese, meaning "big" or "great".
How many people are called Tai in the UK?
A total of 679 babies have been registered as Tai across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 23 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Tai most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Tai ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #375 in 2011. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.