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embrisa.
Theme
Masculine

Makai

/məˈkaɪ/

Toward the sea

Hawaiian

How to say it

ma · KAI

/məˈkaɪ/

What it means

Hawaiian, 'toward the sea,' a direction word used as a name.

Makai means 'toward the sea' in Hawaiian, the word islanders use for the ocean side of any place. Easygoing and coastal, it rides the same Kai sound that parents love, with a built-in sense of waves and open water. It has climbed steadily on the mainland. Said muh-KY.

Popularity over time

#10 #100 #1000 #1 #873318802025

peaked at #481 in 2025, currently #481 in 2025.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving

Heads-up notes

  • Spelling

    Hawaiian for 'toward the sea'; shares the Kai sound.

  • Pronunciation

    muh-KY.

Spelling variants

  • Makae
  • Mekai
  • Makaii