Masai
A name of Kenyan origin referring to a Nilotic ethnic group in East Africa.
Name Census estimates that about 746 living Americans carry the first name Masai. It is a predominantly male name (99.2% of registrations). The average person named Masai today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Masai births was 2024 (95 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Masai. 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
746
~ 1 in 459,456 Americans
Peak year
2024
95 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,823
Tracked since 1973
Gender
Gender distribution for Masai
Out of the 754 babies given the name Masai since 1880, 99.2% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Masai as a male name
- Ranked #1,823 in 2024
- 89 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (89 births)
Masai as a female name
- Ranked #14,591 in 2024
- 6 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (6 births)
Popularity
Masai: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Masai from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 333 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Masai 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 Masai during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Masais live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Masai, while Ohio, Virginia, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Masai
The name Masai is believed to have originated from the Maasai people, an indigenous ethnic group in Kenya and northern Tanzania. The Maasai are renowned for their rich cultural heritage, semi-nomadic pastoralist lifestyle, and distinctive dress. The name Masai itself is derived from the Maa language spoken by the Maasai people, and it is thought to have roots dating back several centuries.
Historically, the Maasai people have been a prominent presence in East Africa, particularly in the Great Rift Valley region. Their name has been documented in various historical accounts and records, including those written by early European explorers and missionaries who encountered them in the 19th century. These accounts often referred to them as the "Masai" or "Masai people," reflecting the pronunciation and spelling of their name at the time.
While the name Masai does not appear to have any specific mentions in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Masai Olnguan, a Maasai leader and warrior who lived in the late 19th century and played a significant role in resisting British colonial rule in Kenya.
Another famous individual with the name Masai was Masai Njoroge, a Kenyan politician and activist who was instrumental in the struggle for independence from British colonial rule. He was born in the early 20th century and played a key role in the Mau Mau rebellion, which ultimately led to Kenya's independence in 1963.
In more recent times, the name Masai has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, athletes, and public figures. For example, Masai Ujiri, a Nigerian-born Canadian sports executive, is the current president and vice-chairman of the Toronto Raptors basketball team in the NBA.
Another notable figure is Masai Graham, an American actor and model who has appeared in several television shows and films, including roles in "Ride Along" and "Black-ish." He was born in 1985 and continues to work in the entertainment industry.
Additionally, Masai Mara, a renowned game reserve in Kenya, bears the name "Masai" in reference to the Maasai people who have inhabited the region for centuries. The name has become synonymous with wildlife conservation and tourism in East Africa.
These are just a few examples of individuals and references associated with the name Masai throughout history, reflecting its deep cultural roots and enduring presence in various contexts.
People
Masai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Masai 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
Masai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Masai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 746 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Masai 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 459,456 US residents.
Is Masai a common name?
We classify Masai as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 754 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Masai most popular?
The single biggest year for Masai was 2024, when 95 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Masai is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Masai a male name?
Yes, 99.2% of people registered as Masai 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.
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.