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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Kai for a girls name?

64 replies

Jjnbftgkhfrvjudv · 22/05/2022 01:25

As title says.

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MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 22/05/2022 18:01

PandaOrLion · 22/05/2022 16:23

Isnt Kai also another word for weeing in French?

I know a girl called Kiya (pronouced Kye-ah) and a lot of Kaila/Kyla/Kayla names. TBH most K-
names are never very popular here on in a lot of RL circles.

I think the horror people have, on MN and in real life circles (lol), of names beginning with K is so bonkers. And juvenile.

SabiRiver · 22/05/2022 17:59

I really like it. Haven't heard it used for a girl before!

Kite22 · 22/05/2022 17:57

If you are in the UK, then it is definitely a boys' name.
I wouldn't land my dd with a name where everyone thinks they are a boy when they are mentioned, or their name is written down.

Cryingintherain99 · 22/05/2022 17:55

DangerouslyBored · 22/05/2022 16:07

Oh no, it’s v… how do I say this tactfully… déclassé

Friends would be Lacey-May and Taylor…

No he's an inspiration. He didn't learn to walk until he was five, and now at 11 he can say five precious words - one of them being Mum.
He learnt to recognise his name from an early age as he's short and easy to get to know.
I honestly couldn't imagine him being called anything else.

ItsSnowJokes · 22/05/2022 16:29

What about Kezia? That's more a girls name than Kai in my opinion.

PandaOrLion · 22/05/2022 16:23

Isnt Kai also another word for weeing in French?

I know a girl called Kiya (pronouced Kye-ah) and a lot of Kaila/Kyla/Kayla names. TBH most K-
names are never very popular here on in a lot of RL circles.

DangerouslyBored · 22/05/2022 16:07

Oh no, it’s v… how do I say this tactfully… déclassé

Friends would be Lacey-May and Taylor…

Theoldwoman · 22/05/2022 14:56

Kai is another name for food.
Definitely not.

Alwayswonderedwhy · 22/05/2022 14:26

Kai has a negative reputation as a boy's name and would for a girl too.

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 22/05/2022 14:24

The only Kai I know is a 50-something German man. A quiet and serious (but pleasant) academic.

But I don't know him that well though, so he may have a passion for asbo-ing in his spare time that I don't know about.

FourChimneys · 22/05/2022 14:19

Round here all the (male) Kais go round in gangs with the Tylers.

There are plenty of nice girl's names. Why not pick one of those?

SpaceJamtart · 22/05/2022 14:08

TrashyPanda · 22/05/2022 12:48

How is Kai (and names like Kailani) pronounced?

does it rhyme with eye or with pay?

i find the former is a hard sound and not very nice

the boy in the fairytale the Snow Queen used to be Kay but new versions I’ve seen have him as Kai.

Kai rhymes with Eye

SpaceJamtart · 22/05/2022 14:06

I know a Kyla who gets called Kai,
I guess you could get it from most girls names that start with a K.
Kai on its own I've only heard on boys.

Kyla, Kaiana, Kylie, Katherine, Katrina

Original poster
Jjnbftgkhfrvjudv · 22/05/2022 13:49

Nellle · 22/05/2022 12:33

I think Khai (pronounced Kai) is the name of Gigi Hadid's daughter, so it's not unheard of for a girl.

I prefer it for a girl just because I'm a teacher who's taught a lot of Kai boys who were... characterful.

Yes, that’s where I first heard it

OP posts:
ElenaSt · 22/05/2022 12:58

It just conjures up a teen boy in a tracksuit who lives on a run down housing estate.

ijustcouldntthinkofausername · 22/05/2022 12:53

Kaila (pronounced Kai-la) sounds nice

Winkydink · 22/05/2022 12:50

Another poster here who thinks of the Māori word for food. Even visiting NZ while being called Kai would be tricky!

TrashyPanda · 22/05/2022 12:48

How is Kai (and names like Kailani) pronounced?

does it rhyme with eye or with pay?

i find the former is a hard sound and not very nice

the boy in the fairytale the Snow Queen used to be Kay but new versions I’ve seen have him as Kai.

Nellle · 22/05/2022 12:33

I think Khai (pronounced Kai) is the name of Gigi Hadid's daughter, so it's not unheard of for a girl.

I prefer it for a girl just because I'm a teacher who's taught a lot of Kai boys who were... characterful.

orangeisthenewpuce · 22/05/2022 12:22

It was popular a few years ago for boys. It's not now. Don't call a girl that name.

pinklavenders · 22/05/2022 12:17

Kailani nickname Kai is lovely!

I also know a female Kay.

ProfessorFusspot · 22/05/2022 11:24

Kai as a stand-alone name is used for both boys and girls in Hawaiian. Can also be used as a shortening of Kailani as a previous poster mentioned (and which is traditionally feminine), or for Kaimana, Kainoa, and Kaipo which are all more or less unisex.

BanjoVio · 22/05/2022 11:12

brokengoalposts · 22/05/2022 01:41

I know a Kailani who gets Kai for short. It's a known Hawaiian name.

That's beautiful!!

Cryingintherain99 · 22/05/2022 11:11

Penguintears · 22/05/2022 03:39

Where I live all the Kais are asbo-awarded young thugs. So to my ears it gives a really bad impression.

Where I live they are inspirational and love cuddles. 😘

UserError012345 · 22/05/2022 07:42

No.