Kye

♂ Boy

Pronounced KY /kaɪ/High

Meaning: Earth; sea; a spelling variant of Kai, from Hawaiian kai (sea) or Welsh Cai/Kay (a form of the Latin Caius: rejoice)Medium

In 30 seconds: A spelling variant of Kai, combining the Hawaiian meaning of 'sea' with a distinctly modern visual form. One syllable, three letters — Kye is the same name as Kai with a Y substituted for I.

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Origin MediumHawaiian, Welsh

MeaningEarth; sea; a spelling variant of Kai, from Hawaiian kai (sea) or Welsh Cai/Kay (a form of the Latin Caius: rejoice)

U.S. rank (2024)#1195 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births171 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2016

Total births (all-time)≈ 5,421

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

History & Origin

Kye is a Y-spelling variant of Kai, which has Hawaiian (sea), Japanese, and Scandinavian roots. The Y-substitution is a purely American creative spelling convention.

Kye ranked #1195 for boys in 2024.

Did you know? The Y-for-I substitution that creates Kye from Kai is part of the broader American creative naming tradition of using Y to replace other vowels — creating visual distinctiveness while maintaining the same sound. Examples: Kye, Lyam, Mye, Rye.

Overall data confidence 80%

U.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

KaiKaia

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Kye…

Kai— the standard spelling of the same name

Kye

Ty— one-syllable name with the same short, confident masculinity

Cy— one-syllable C-Y name in the same minimalist category

Ky— a two-letter variant in the same sound family

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kye mean?

Kye is a Y-spelling of Kai, meaning 'sea' in Hawaiian or 'rejoice' in the Welsh/Latin tradition.

How do you pronounce Kye?

It's said KY — one syllable, rhyming with 'sky.'

Is Kye a boy or girl name?

Kye is used as a boys' name.

How popular is Kye?

Kye ranked #1195 for U.S. boys in 2024.