Tai
Tai was the 2536th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 53 babies. Its best year was 2003, when it ranked 1154th; the most babies were born in 2004 (133). Over the last ten years it has moved down 242 places. More babies were named Tai in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Ty) short form of Tyler, Tyrone and similar names · English
- Rank in 2025
- #2,536 boys, down 216 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 53boys
- Girls and boys
- 19% girls, 81% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2004133 babies
- Total since 1880
- 4,937babies recorded
What does the name Tai mean?
Tai is a spelling of Ty, pronounced the same way, so it shares Ty's meaning and origin.
Ty is a clipped form of boys' names that begin with Ty-, chiefly Tyler, Tyrone and Tyson, and sometimes stands alone as a full name. Its meaning is that of the longer name: Tyler is an English occupational surname for a tiler of roofs, Tyrone is from the Irish county name Tír Eoghain 'land of Eoghan', and Tyson is a surname of debated origin. Baseball player Ty Cobb (born Tyrus) made the short form familiar in the US.
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Tyler, Tyrone, Tyson, Tai.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Ty', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Tyler', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Tyrone', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Tai popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,397 | #2,536 | 11 | 53 |
| 2020 | #7,533 | #2,320 | 15 | 59 |
| 2010 | #8,656 | #1,971 | 14 | 71 |
| 2000 | #3,970 | #1,288 | 32 | 101 |
| 1990 | #3,017 | #2,081 | 38 | 36 |
| 1980 | #947 | #1,543 | 159 | 40 |
| 1970 | #9,167 | #3,257 | 5 | 10 |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Tai, counting every spelling?
Tai is a spelling of Ty, a name family that ranked #667 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,536 for Tai on its own. Together these spellings went to 401 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ty | 306 | #813 | 1,680 |
| Tai | 53 | #2,536 | 275 |
| Tye | 36 | #3,306 | 230 |
| Thai | 6 | #11,846 | 41 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Tai?
53 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Tai (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Tai born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 158 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Tai.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Tai?
About 3,000 people born in the US named Tai are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 14 and 31. That makes Tai mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Tai by state
How common Tai was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 46 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Tai: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Tai, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Tai
What does Tai mean?
Tai is a spelling of Ty, which means “short form of Tyler, Tyrone and similar names” (English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Tai?
Tai was the 2536th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 53 babies. Its best year was 2003, when it ranked 1154th; the most babies were born in 2004 (133). Over the last ten years it has moved down 242 places. More babies were named Tai in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Tai a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 19% girls, 81% boys given the name Tai in the US.
Where is Tai most popular?
In 2021–2025, Tai was most common in California (0.04 per 1,000 boys), followed by Virginia and Florida.