Wai

♂ Boy

Pronounced WY /ˈwaɪ/Low

Meaning: Wai is a romanized Chinese name, most often Cantonese, whose meaning depends entirely on the character behind it. Common choices include a character meaning 'great' or 'mighty' and another meaning 'kindness' or 'favor.' Written only in the Latin alphabet, it can stand for several different Chinese words that sound alike.Low

In 30 seconds: Wai is a romanized Chinese boy's name whose meaning depends on its character, often 'great' or 'kindness.' Carried by Chinese American families, it stayed rare (said WY).

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Origin LowChinese

MeaningWai is a romanized Chinese name, most often Cantonese, whose meaning depends entirely on the character behind it. Common choices include a character meaning 'great' or 'mighty' and another meaning 'kindness' or 'favor.' Written only in the Latin alphabet, it can stand for several different Chinese words that sound alike.

U.S. rank (1995)#10272 ↘ Falling

1995 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1977

Total births (all-time)≈ 174

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

Wai is an English romanization of a Chinese given name, frequently Cantonese, that can represent several characters - among them 'great' or 'mighty' and 'kindness' or 'favor.' It reached American records with Chinese immigrant families, its precise meaning tied to a character that the Latin spelling cannot show.

It was never common on American records, given to only about fifteen boys a year at its peak around 1977, borne within Chinese American families. A boy named Wai then is in his late forties today.

Did you know? Because Wai is only the romanized sound, one man named Wai and another may carry entirely different Chinese characters and meanings behind the same three letters.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Wai — Romanized Chinese (often Cantonese); character-dependent (e.g. 'great'/'kindness'); plain-Latin only, no CJK

Variations

WeiWayWae

Nicknames

Wai

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Wai…

Wei— a like romanized Chinese name

Kai— a similar short one-syllable name

Jun— another romanized Chinese boy's name

Ming— a related Chinese given name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Wai mean?

It is a romanized Chinese name whose meaning depends on its character, often 'great' or 'kindness.'

How do you pronounce Wai?

It is said WY /ˈwaɪ/ - one syllable.

Is Wai a boy or girl name?

Wai is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Wai?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year at its peak in the late nineteen-seventies.