Kai/ Kay

[Thaleia]

Hi,

We like to name Kai/ Kay for our little boy. The "normal" spelling back home would be Kai, although Kay is possible too. Wiki tells me that Kai is Latin whilst Kay is Russian.

Would Kai (+ DH name as a middle name) work in the UK?

Kay is a girls name and also pronounced differently from Kai I think.

Wayne Rooneys little boy is called Kai - whether that matters to you or not. Kay is a girls name in UK (rhymes with say).

Hmm. Queen of the Common, Danielle Westbrook, called her first son Kai.

It's popular with a certain group of people....

I love Kay for a boy. I've loved it ever since reading 'The Snow Queen'.

Different names; Kai rhymes with sky, Kay rhymes with say. Kay is thought of as a girls name but has largely fallen into disuse, though Kay is the first sylable of many popular names for both boys and girls.

I think Kai sounds really chavtastic - sorry.

Kai defiantly
Kay is a girls name or Nn.
The Caitlin at school is often called Kay.
Kai might be a bit chavy, but its nice.
if you have cultural reasons for using it and it works with your DHs name and surname then I can't see why not.

Agree Kay would be pronounced quite differently from Kai, and more commonly a girl's name (though as well as Kay in the Snow Queen there is also the - boy - Kay Harker in the Box of Delights)

Kai is a good name, you could also consider the Welsh version Cai if that worked for you back home.

Kai (pronounced Kye) is horrible, sorry. Kay is definitely a girl's name here and is pronounced Say.

We know a rather erudite Kai (pronounced kye) who is Burmese.

Kai is a great name , but you won't find many on MN who like it

Kay isn't just a girls name, although it might be perceived that way (like Hilary or Evelyn). Kai probably does have some associated connotations, although I think if you are obviously not both English that might not be an issue. Weirdly I think that Cai doesn't have the same associations, I think that it's the 'K' that's the trigger.

How would you pronounce Kai/Kay Thaleia?

Lovely when names are pronounced chavvy. Glad snobbery is still alive and kicking in elitist England

It happens to be an international name with many beautiful meanings. It is also Hawaiian for wave

Sadly for me, the people I know with children called Kai, have blown any ideas of beautiful Hawaiian waves, completely away.

Any name other than Wilfred or Gladys is thought chavvy on MN tbh

Well you need to meet the ones I know then

Not my me I might add , I hate all the snobby snide chavvy posts on baby names

by*

The scandinavian spelling of Kai is KAJ, if that helps. Its def a boys name spelled that way.

Kay is a lovely boy's name. Makes me think of the Box of Delights.

Kai is usually pronounced Kye here, isnt it? Its not a name I like, sorry.

I know a baby who's just been named Kai and his parents have mixed backgrounds including Scandanavian.

I think they were reassured once they'd read up on it and realised the name had a much longer heritage than Daniella Westbrook choosing it (so the story goes) from the clothes shop Kookai, and actually occurs in lots of different cultures/languages.

It's not a name I'd ever choose myself but am pleased they stuck to what they wanted despite GPs having doubts.

Kay (to rhyme with say) is usually a girl's name these days, but traditionally was for boys (Kaye was the feminine spelling). I am very fond of it from reading The Once And Future King, Box of Delights and the Snow Queen but everyone's right, people will think it's a girl's name.

As above for the pronunciations.
I have heard 'Kai' screeched in public a couple of times. Maybe that will give you an idea of the popularity of the name. Oh, and it seems obligatory that they have an earring and mullet at the age of 2.

As soon as Wayne Rooney bestowed Kai upon his son he ruined what used to be a beautiful name for everyone.

Kay as we know it is generally short for Catherine or Kathleen.