Markai
A variant spelling of Markai, a masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "bitter".
Name Census estimates that about 100 living Americans carry the first name Markai. It is a predominantly male name (90.1% of registrations). The average person named Markai today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Markai births was 2011 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Markai. 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
100
~ 1 in 3,427,543 Americans
Peak year
2011
11 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,802
Tracked since 2004
Gender
Gender distribution for Markai
Markai leans heavily male at 90.1% of total registrations, but 10 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Markai as a male name
- Ranked #11,802 in 2024
- 6 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (11 births)
Markai as a female name
- Ranked #18,595 in 2012
- 5 female births in 2012
- Peak: 2011 (5 births)
Popularity
Markai: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Markai from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 51 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Markai remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Markai 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 Markai during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Markai
The name Markai has its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language, with roots tracing back to the Indus Valley Civilization around 2500 BCE. It is derived from the word "marka," which means "maker" or "creator." The earliest known use of the name Markai was found inscribed on clay tablets in the region that is now modern-day Pakistan.
In Hindu mythology, Markai was the name of a revered sage and teacher who was renowned for his wisdom and knowledge of the sacred texts. He is mentioned in the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, as a respected guru who imparted spiritual teachings to his disciples.
During the Gupta Empire, which ruled over a large part of the Indian subcontinent from the 4th to the 6th century CE, the name Markai gained popularity among the ruling class and aristocracy. One of the most notable figures from this period was Markai Gupta, a prominent scholar and philosopher who wrote extensively on various aspects of Hindu theology and philosophy.
In the 12th century, a renowned poet and mystic named Markai Deva lived in the region of Bengal. His literary works, primarily written in the Bengali language, explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition. Markai Deva's poetry is still widely studied and celebrated in Bengal and other parts of India.
During the Mughal Empire in the 16th century, Markai Khan was a prominent military commander and governor who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He was recognized for his strategic prowess and his role in expanding the Mughal Empire's territories in northern India.
Another notable figure in history with the name Markai was Markai Singh, a brave warrior and military leader from the Rajput clan in the 17th century. He fought valiantly against the Mughal forces and is remembered for his valor and unwavering spirit in defending his people's land and freedom.
People
Markai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Markai as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Markai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Markai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 100 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Markai 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 3,427,543 US residents.
Is Markai a common name?
We classify Markai as "Very Rare". It ranks above 64.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 101 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Markai most popular?
The single biggest year for Markai was 2011, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Markai is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Markai in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Markai a male name?
Yes, 90.1% of people registered as Markai in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Markai still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Markai in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Markai can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Markai?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Markai at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.