Ai
An English feminine name representing love or affection.
Name Census estimates that about 391 living Americans carry the first name Ai. It is a predominantly female name (97.3% of registrations). The average person named Ai today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ai births was 1991 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ai. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
391
~ 1 in 876,610 Americans
Peak year
1991
19 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
1987 SSA rank
#6,972
Tracked since 1974
Gender
Gender distribution for Ai
Ai leans heavily female at 97.3% of total registrations, but 11 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Ai as a male name
- Ranked #6,972 in 1987
- 5 male births in 1987
- Peak: 1981 (6 births)
Ai as a female name
- Ranked #9,580 in 2021
- 10 female births in 2021
- Peak: 1991 (19 births)
Popularity
Ai: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ai from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 114 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ai by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ai during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ais live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ai
The name Ai has its origins in various languages and cultures across the world. In Japanese, the name is written using the kanji character 愛, which means "love" or "affection." This name has been in use in Japan for centuries and is often given to girls as a representation of the love and care their parents have for them.
In Hawaiian culture, the name Ai is derived from the word 'ai, which means "to eat" or "to consume." It is a traditionally feminine name that carries connotations of nourishment and sustenance. The name has been used in Hawaii for generations and is deeply rooted in the island's rich cultural heritage.
In Hindi, the name Ai is a shortened form of the name Aisha, which is derived from the Arabic name 'Aysha, meaning "alive" or "prosperous." This name has its roots in Islamic tradition and is often given to girls in various parts of India and the Middle East.
Historically, the name Ai has been mentioned in several ancient texts and religious scriptures. In the Bible, Ai is the name of a Canaanite city that was conquered by the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua. This reference can be found in the Book of Joshua, which is part of the Old Testament.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Ai can be found in the ancient Japanese text known as the Kojiki, which dates back to the early 8th century. The text mentions an empress named Ai, who ruled in the 6th century AD.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ai. Here are five examples:
1. Ai Weiwei (born 1957) - A renowned Chinese contemporary artist and activist known for his thought-provoking installations and his advocacy for human rights and freedom of expression.
2. Ai Qing (1910-1996) - One of the most influential Chinese poets of the 20th century, known for his works that reflected the struggles and aspirations of the common people.
3. Ai Ogawa (1914-2005) - A Japanese author and poet who wrote extensively about the experiences of women in modern Japanese society.
4. Ai Fukuhara (born 1988) - A former professional table tennis player from Japan who has won numerous international championships and accolades.
5. Ai Yazawa (born 1967) - A Japanese manga artist known for her popular series "Nana," which explores the lives and relationships of two young women in Tokyo.
These individuals, among many others, have carried the name Ai throughout history, each leaving their unique imprint on their respective fields and contributing to the cultural richness associated with this name.
People
Ai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ai as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 391 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ai going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 876,610 US residents.
Is Ai a common name?
We classify Ai as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 403 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ai most popular?
The single biggest year for Ai was 1991, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ai is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ai a female name?
Yes, 97.3% of people registered as Ai in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.