Tai

♂ Boy

Pronounced TY /taɪ/High

Meaning: Great; talented; large; from Chinese/Vietnamese tai (great, talented, distinguished — a positive quality name)High

In 30 seconds: A Vietnamese and Chinese name meaning 'great' or 'talented.' Crisp and one-syllable, Tai has the same clean minimalism as Kai, Rei, and Wei — East Asian names that work easily across cultural contexts.

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Origin HighVietnamese, Chinese

MeaningGreat; talented; large; from Chinese/Vietnamese tai (great, talented, distinguished — a positive quality name)

U.S. rank (2025)#2536 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births53 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2004

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,122

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

Tai is a Vietnamese and Chinese given name meaning 'great' or 'talented,' from the character tai (great, large, supreme). In Tai chi, the same character expresses supreme or ultimate. As a given name it is used across Vietnamese American and Chinese American communities.

Tai ranked #2409 for boys in 2024. It is used in Vietnamese American, Chinese American, and broader communities drawn to its crisp one-syllable minimalism.

Did you know? Tai chi (Taiji) — the Chinese martial art and meditation practice — uses this same character tai (great, supreme) in its name: taijiquan means 'Supreme Ultimate Fist.' So the name Tai connects to one of the world's most practiced mind-body disciplines.

Overall data confidence 87%

Behind the Name — Tai — Chinese/Vietnamese etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

TyTay

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Tai Babilonia (1959-)
American pair figure skater and 1979 World Champion

If you like Tai…

Kai— one-syllable East Asian-influenced name with the same crisp open quality

Khai— one-syllable Vietnamese/Arabic name in the same short East Asian tradition

Sai— lands in the same popularity range

Tre— shares Tai's Vietnamese roots

Ren— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Tai

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Tai mean?

Tai means 'great,' 'talented,' or 'supreme' in Chinese and Vietnamese. The same character appears in Tai chi (taijiquan: Supreme Ultimate Fist).

How do you pronounce Tai?

It's said TY /taɪ/ — one syllable, rhyming with 'sky.'

Is Tai a boy or girl name?

Tai is used as a boy's name here.

How popular is Tai?

Tai ranked #2409 for U.S. boys in 2024.