Asai

♂ Boy

Pronounced ah-SY /ɑˈsaɪ/Medium

Meaning: Rare given-name use of sounds attested elsewhere: the Japanese surname Asai, 'shallow well', and the biblical Asa, 'healer/physician', with an -i extensionLow

In 30 seconds: A rarity drawing water from two wells: Japanese Asai is a samurai-era surname meaning 'shallow well', while Hebrew Asa — 'healer' — offers a biblical handle. As a U.S. first name, it's mostly brand-new.

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Origin LowJapanese, Hebrew, American

MeaningRare given-name use of sounds attested elsewhere: the Japanese surname Asai, 'shallow well', and the biblical Asa, 'healer/physician', with an -i extension

U.S. rank (2025)#2081 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births71 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 327

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Asai is scarcely documented as an American given name. Its attested lives lie elsewhere: in Japan it is a surname — asa-i, 'shallow well', borne by a famous warring-states clan and gymnastics' Asai vault — and scripture offers Asa, the healing-named king of Judah, which an -i ending would stylize. U.S. appearances likely mix both inspirations with simple sound preference.

We flag the etymology as inference rather than record. The name is vanishingly rare and travel-light.

Did you know? The Asai were a samurai clan whose daughter Oichi's three girls married into Japan's most powerful houses — a 'shallow well' that watered half the warring states' dynasties.

Overall data confidence 50%

Japanese surname references — Asai — surname meaning; given-name use undocumented

Variations

AsaAssaiAsahi

Nicknames

Asa

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Asai…

Asa— the biblical 'healer' inside its first sounds

Kai— the vowel-bright modern companion

Akai— shares the -ai ending

Amai— lands in the same popularity range

Sakai— a fellow Japanese choice

Explore names like Asai

By themeuncertain rare japanese

By meaningGift / Blessing Healing

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Asai mean?

Asai is rare as a given name; it matches the Japanese surname meaning 'shallow well' and echoes biblical Asa, 'healer' — its U.S. use is flagged as undocumented.

How do you pronounce Asai?

It's said ah-SY /ɑˈsaɪ/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Asai a boy or girl name?

Asai appears as a boy's name in U.S. records.

How popular is Asai?

Asai is a vanishingly rare name in the U.S.