Name Mai Origin, meaning, pronunciation & popularity of the name Mai

Mai is a ♀ girl’s name.

What is the origin of the name Mai?

The name Mai is an e.g. Frisian short form of the name Maria. The name Mai is also common in Sweden and Asia, e.g. Vietnam and Japan.

What does the name Mai mean?

Mai means “sea of bitterness”, “drop of the sea”, “star of the sea”, “rebelliousness”, “exalted one”, “beloved” or “wished for child” (from Maria). In Vietnamese, Mai (梅) means “apricot”, “plum” or “plum flower”. In Japanese, Mai means “dance” (舞) or “linen robe” (麻衣), but is also a combination of “ma/真” meaning “genuine”, “real” and “ai/愛” meaning “love”, “affection”.

Other variants

In Sweden, Mai is also spelled Maj. An English variant is May. Mai is also a common last name.

Famous people named Mai

• Former Miss USA 1984 Mai Therese Shanley (born 1963) was also Miss New Mexico 1983 and Miss New Mexico USA 1984. She was a semi-finalist at the Miss Universe Pageant in 1984.
• Japanese Singer Mai Fukui (born 1984) is known for singing the title track for the “Final Fantasy XIII-2” game. She has also sung the title track for the anime movie “The Place Promised In Our Early Days”.
• Former Japanese singer Mai Hagiwara (born 1996) was part of the Japanese Idol group “Cute” from 2005 to 2017.
• Mai Zetterling (1925 - 1994) was a Swedish director, actress and author.

Fictional anime characters named Mai

• In the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and anime, Mai Valentine is a recurring and supporting character.
• The female protagonist of the anime “Ghost Hunter” is named Mai Taniyama.
• Mai Mishou is one of two main characters in the “Pretty Cure Splash Star” anime.
• In the anime “Kanon”, Mai Kawasumi is a third year high school student. She has the mysterious power to heal wounds and bring things back to live.

Pronunciation of Mai

Variants of the name Mai