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Ki as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ki

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The baby name Ki is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced kee (IPA: /kiː/; Korean/Japanese typically [ki]).

Ki is Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Sumerian, Vietnamese in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Sumerian, Vietnamese
Pronunciation: kee (IPA: /kiː/; Korean/Japanese typically [ki])

What is the meaning of the name Ki ?

The baby name Ki is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced kee (IPA: /kiː/; Korean/Japanese typically [ki]).

Ki is Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Sumerian, Vietnamese in Origin.

Short yet cross-cultural, Ki has multiple roots. In Sumerian myth, Ki names the primordial Earth, partner of the sky god An, one of the oldest recorded name-elements for “earth.” Across East Asia, Ki is a unisex syllable in given names: in Korean it reflects various hanja, including 基 “foundation,” 起 “rise,” 祈 “prayer,” 奇/琪 “wonder; fine jade,” and 氣 “vital energy,” and it may appear alone. In Japanese, Ki can be written as 希 “hope,” 喜 “joy,” 木 “tree,” 紀 “chronicle,” or 気 “spirit,” giving different shades of meaning.

Variants and cognates include Gi (Korean romanization), Kee (anglicized), and related Japanese Kei; it also aligns conceptually with Chinese Qi/Chi “life force.” Known historically as a Korean surname (e.g., Empress Ki), the given name today appeals for its minimalism and global ease. Depending on script, Ki can suggest earthiness, renewal, hope, or vitality.

Ki has the following similar or variant Names

Ki – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
KR Boys 0 #25 3 897
BF Boys 0 #26 1 439
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
GE 0 #43 2 997
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
MO 0 #48 5 2,706
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
LU 0 #62 5 2,830
AF 0 #66 11 1,883
AL 0 #76 1 2,372
JP 0 #76 2 4,057
MV Boys 0 #78 2 3,375
CN 0 #85 2 3,857
TW 0 #96 8 4,523
ID Girls 0 #102 1 3,319
GE Boys 0 #107 4 2,055
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
BN Girls 0 #114 1 5,459
HU 0 #115 1 1,675
ID Boys 0 #120 12 4,130
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
BN Boys 0 #131 9 6,332
IQ 0 #132 2 3,533
MU 0 #135 3 3,613
RS Girls 0 #137 1 1,651
EE Girls 0 #140 3 1,888
BW Boys 0 #146 9 4,685
BW Girls 0 #151 1 4,216
CR 0 #165 1 5,526
HU Boys 0 #167 8 3,954
SI Girls 0 #177 1 2,769
HR 0 #180 2 2,081
AE 0 #183 5 10,220
CZ 0 #184 3 3,154
HK Boys 0 #186 687 12,905
LU Girls 0 #188 3 4,850
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
MO Girls 0 #198 54 7,056
LT Girls 0 #200 1 1,904
MO Boys 0 #201 23 5,842
BD 0 #205 23 5,992
PL 0 #209 4 2,600
SI Boys 0 #211 1 3,402
HK Girls 0 #214 673 16,104
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
LU Boys 0 #217 4 4,970
BG Boys 0 #219 2 3,850
HU Girls 0 #222 4 3,308
TW Boys 0 #222 20 7,111
AL Girls 0 #225 3 4,141
IR 0 #226 6 4,221
JP Girls 0 #227 19 6,592
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
TW Girls 0 #231 46 8,139
NA Girls 0 #236 2 7,146
AF Boys 0 #240 31 3,535
HK 0 #242 109 8,483
AO Boys 0 #243 7 5,568
HR Boys 0 #243 16 3,997
EC Boys 0 #246 1 3,322
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
NA Boys 0 #249 5 6,830
SG 0 #275 8 11,010
JP Boys 0 #279 19 7,909
AL Boys 0 #289 10 5,122
JM Boys 0 #290 4 6,876
KZ Boys 0 #290 7 6,578
HR Girls 0 #291 4 3,687
CN Girls 0 #294 56 8,829
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
SA 0 #306 7 10,560
CN Boys 0 #307 13 9,639
MY 0 #312 19 12,352
Canada Boys 2013 #321 6 2,334
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
KZ Girls 0 #331 2 5,862
PL Girls 0 #334 21 5,096
GH Boys 0 #335 11 8,138
PL Boys 0 #335 6 6,459
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
QA Girls 0 #338 6 15,378
MU Girls 0 #341 11 8,539
MU Boys 0 #342 16 8,477
CZ Girls 0 #344 8 5,378
PH Boys 0 #357 27 11,440
BR 0 #358 3 5,969
BD Girls 0 #365 22 8,413
YE 0 #366 16 8,639
PH Girls 0 #378 13 13,098
PT Boys 0 #379 3 7,951
EG 0 #380 21 6,387
OM Girls 0 #386 11 15,987
JO Boys 0 #388 2 7,057
EG Boys 0 #404 732 15,035
BO 0 #406 3 6,868
Germany 0 #406 32 2,542
Austria Girls 0 #411 10 1,885
UY Boys 0 #412 2 5,922
SD Boys 0 #428 18 10,523
CL 0 #431 4 6,867
MX 0 #444 2 8,339
DZ 0 #460 1,126 20,130
PT Girls 0 #467 5 7,952
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
RU Girls 0 #476 23 11,913
AR Boys 0 #480 4 7,628
IQ Girls 0 #482 23 11,303
RU Boys 0 #483 23 12,621
BD Boys 0 #492 85 10,045
KW Girls 0 #505 11 19,177
PA Boys 0 #505 1 9,305
CR Boys 0 #507 4 10,188
CO 0 #508 3 7,768
IR Girls 0 #513 18 8,334
PA Girls 0 #514 5 9,861
LY 0 #517 19 12,703
IR Boys 0 #528 25 10,162
SG Girls 0 #536 51 18,916
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
AE Girls 0 #538 16 20,968
BH 0 #539 15 17,937
GT Girls 0 #541 1 7,500
PS Girls 0 #545 3 10,981
PS Boys 0 #556 6 10,655
CM Girls 0 #559 2 11,671
CR Girls 0 #566 8 11,342
IQ Boys 0 #566 102 13,071
CM Boys 0 #568 8 12,054
TN 0 #571 286 13,765
IL Boys 0 #617 9 10,983
BO Boys 0 #618 5 9,244
IN Girls 0 #622 10 13,121
AR Girls 0 #626 5 8,289
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
CL Boys 0 #652 14 13,390
SG Boys 0 #661 37 17,960
QA Boys 0 #675 33 18,093
LB 0 #683 8 13,263
Germany Girls 0 #691 149 4,949
IT 0 #696 19 4,183
SY 0 #712 17 11,684
BR Boys 0 #738 14 12,213
KW Boys 0 #744 26 18,755
MY Boys 0 #762 366 25,439
NG Girls 0 #776 11 15,093
OM Boys 0 #826 56 17,948
MY Girls 0 #832 163 24,821
EG Girls 0 #853 107 14,742
MA 0 #864 266 20,986
PE Boys 0 #868 11 14,506
SA Girls 0 #880 56 25,931
Germany Boys 0 #890 63 5,697
CO Boys 0 #901 20 15,656
United States Boys 2022 #902 7 7,226
CL Girls 0 #908 8 14,098
Spain Boys 0 #908 23 5,610
United States Girls 2023 #910 5 8,600
BR Girls 0 #928 14 12,708
NL Girls 0 #930 26 5,933
NL Boys 0 #930 22 5,873
PE Girls 0 #931 13 14,861
NG Boys 0 #933 19 16,906
IN Boys 0 #950 52 16,750
Spain Girls 0 #963 21 5,561
MX Boys 0 #966 17 16,355
AE Boys 0 #1,058 35 22,615
CO Girls 0 #1,068 11 16,140
ZA Girls 0 #1,123 19 25,928
ZA Boys 0 #1,151 28 25,619
MX Girls 0 #1,167 17 17,781
TR 0 #1,195 17 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,373 74 9,415
IT Boys 0 #1,376 96 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,389 226 28,008

Ki is popular in 82 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
AE
AF
AL
AO

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People also ask about Ki

Ki is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Ki is a one syllable name, pronounced kee (IPA: /kiː/; Korean/Japanese typically [ki]).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Kí, Kii, Key, Kei, Kye and Ki- (used as a name element).
Across languages, Ki has these equivalents: Qi/Chi (Chinese, 'life energy'), Kei (Japanese, similar sound and usage), Gaia/Gaea (equivalent for the 'earth/land' sense).
Yes — Ki ranked #321 in Canada in 2013, and appears in official birth registries across 2 countries.
Ki ranks highest in Canada (#321 in 2013).