Markhai
A masculine name of Thai origin meaning "areca flower".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Markhai. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Markhai today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Markhai births was 2017 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Markhai. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Markhai. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2017
5 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#13,543
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Markhai: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Markhai 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 Markhai during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Markhai
Markhai is an ancient given name with roots tracing back to the Indo-Iranian languages of antiquity. It is believed to have originated among the nomadic tribes that roamed the vast steppes of Central Asia during the late Bronze Age, approximately 1500-1000 BCE. The name is derived from the Proto-Indo-Iranian root "*markhá-," which means "to be great" or "to be exalted."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Avestan scriptures of Zoroastrianism, the ancient Iranian religion. In the Yasna, a collection of hymns and prayers, a character named Markhai is mentioned as a devoted follower of the prophet Zarathustra. This reference dates back to around the 6th century BCE.
Throughout the centuries, the name Markhai has been borne by several notable historical figures. One of the most prominent was Markhai the Great, a powerful ruler of the Kushan Empire in Central Asia, who reigned from approximately 120-140 CE. Under his leadership, the Kushan Empire reached its zenith, stretching from modern-day Afghanistan to northern India.
Another renowned bearer of the name was Markhai ibn Al-Hasib, a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 9th century CE. He made significant contributions to the fields of algebra and trigonometry and is credited with introducing the concept of sine function in mathematics.
In the realm of literature, Markhai Gul was a celebrated Persian poet who lived during the 12th century CE. His poetic works, which often explored themes of love, mysticism, and spirituality, were widely admired throughout the Persian-speaking world.
During the era of the Mongol Empire, Markhai Khagan was a prominent military leader who served under Genghis Khan in the early 13th century CE. He played a crucial role in the Mongol conquests of Central Asia and Persia, earning a reputation as a fearsome warrior.
These are just a few examples of the notable individuals who have borne the name Markhai throughout history, spanning various cultures, time periods, and fields of endeavor. The name's enduring presence across diverse regions and civilizations reflects its ancient origins and the rich tapestry of cultural exchanges that have shaped the world over millennia.
People
Markhai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Markhai 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
Markhai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Markhai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Markhai 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Markhai a common name?
We classify Markhai as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Markhai most popular?
The single biggest year for Markhai was 2017, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Markhai is about 9 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 Markhai in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Markhai a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Markhai 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 Markhai still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Markhai 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 Markhai 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 people share the name Markhai?
You can see how many people share the name Markhai on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.