The name Mai is of Vietnamese origin and it means "May," referring to the fifth month in the Vietnamese calendar which usually falls in June or July on the Gregorian calendar. This name has been traditionally used for girls in Vietnam, but it has also gained popularity as a unisex name in other parts of the world.
The name Mai has a rich history and cultural significance in Vietnam. It is often associated with the lunar month of Mai, which is believed to be an auspicious time for weddings, festivals, and other celebrations. During this month, Vietnamese people celebrate the Tango Festival, a traditional event dedicated to the worship of ancestors and gods.
In addition to its cultural significance, the name Mai has also been popularized by notable figures throughout history. One famous bearer of this name is Mai Thu Uyen, a renowned Vietnamese poet who lived during the early 20th century. She was known for her powerful and emotive poetry that addressed themes such as love, patriotism, and women's rights.
Today, the name Mai continues to be popular among Vietnamese families, particularly in Vietnam itself but also among Vietnamese communities around the world. It remains a name that carries with it a sense of tradition, culture, and historical significance.
The name Mai has been a presence in the United States since at least the late 19th century, with the first recorded birth occurring in 1880 and another in 1881. The popularity of the name has fluctuated over time, with periods of higher occurrence followed by periods of lower frequency.
In the early to mid-20th century, there were relatively few births given the name Mai, with annual totals ranging from as low as five births per year during the 1930s and 1940s to a peak of 17 births in 1967. However, starting in the late 1970s, the popularity of the name began to increase significantly.
By the early 1980s, there were over 100 births per year with the name Mai, and this trend continued throughout the decade. The name reached its peak popularity during the mid-1980s, with 179 births in 1984 and 173 births in 1985. Since then, the number of births with the name Mai has fluctuated but remained relatively high compared to earlier decades.
Throughout the 1990s, there were consistently between 60 and 250 births per year with the name Mai. In the early 2000s, the popularity of the name began to decline again, with fewer than 100 births per year recorded from 2003 onwards.
More recently, the number of births with the name Mai has stabilized at around 50 births per year, with totals ranging from a low of 34 births in 2017 to a high of 58 births in 2021. Overall, since 1880, there have been a total of 5573 births in the United States with the name Mai.