Maki is a Japanese given name of both male and female usage. It has several possible meanings depending on the kanji characters used to write it.
The most common meaning for Maki is "true, sincere" or "genuine". This interpretation comes from the kanji character 真 (ま), which means "true", combined with another character that can mean "beauty" or "peace".
Another possible meaning for Maki is "dance" or "butterfly". This interpretation uses the kanji character 舞 (まい), which means "dance", and is often associated with the graceful movements of a butterfly.
The name Maki has a long history in Japan, with famous historical figures bearing this name. For example, Maki Yamada was a prominent poet and literary critic from the early 20th century, while Maki Murakami was a renowned actress active during the golden age of Japanese cinema in the 1950s.
Today, Maki remains a popular choice for both boys' and girls' names in Japan. It is often given to children as it is considered to be easy to write and remember, while also having positive meanings associated with sincerity, beauty, and grace.
The name Maki has been given to a total of 503 babies born in the United States between 1995 and 2023, according to the statistics provided.
While it may not be one of the most popular names, there are periods where its usage has seen fluctuations. For instance, from 2004 to 2008, Maki was given to more than 30 babies each year, peaking at 37 births in 2004.
However, since then, its popularity has declined, with fewer than 25 babies named Maki born each year from 2009 onwards. The most recent data shows that there were 17 babies named Maki born in the United States in 2021 and 6 births in both 2022 and 2023.
Despite its decreasing popularity, the name Maki has a unique character and continues to be chosen by parents for their children. It is important to note that these statistics only represent births registered in the United States and may not fully capture the global usage of this name.