Mei
Meaning
beautiful (美); a classic Cantonese given-name element, common alone or in compounds like Siu-Mei
Say it: MAY
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Mei peaked in the 2010s and the 2020s in nearly equal measure.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
290 people · the #19,518 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 1,000,000 · median age 42
Among people named Mei living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Mei
Most people given the name Mei in the United States are children or teenagers today. The name belongs to this generation.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Mei deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Mei truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Mei fits with your family’s names and surname.
Where Mei travels
Japanese Brazilian · bud, sprout
Chinese · plum blossom (梅)
Japanese · bright, sprout
Keep exploring
Japanese Brazilian baby names · Chinese baby names · Cantonese and Hong Kong baby names · Japanese baby names · Short names
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