Mei

Gender: Girl

Meaning: Anointed one or savior

Origin: Hebrew

Popularity: Ranked #1744 in 2025 with 117 babies born.

History: Mei is a Chinese and Japanese name with roots that run deep into East Asian tradition and aesthetics. As the Chinese character 美 (méi), it translates to beautiful, while 梅 (méi) represents the plum blossom—a flower of profound symbolic weight. The plum blossom blooms in late winter when snow still covers the ground, embodying resilience, hope, and the triumph of beauty over harsh conditions. In Japanese, mei (明) can mean bright or clear. The plum blossom meaning is especially profound: beauty that refuses to wait for perfect conditions. Mei entered American birth records in 1947, though it remained relatively uncommon for decades. Since then, the name has experienced steady growth, particularly among families seeking meaningful names that bridge cultural heritage with American identity. The total number of girls named Mei in the United States reached 1,858 across recorded history, with the name peaking in 2025 at 117 births—its strongest year on record. This peak coincides with broader American trends toward shorter names and increased appreciation for non-Western cultural naming practices. The name gained notable visibility through Pixar's 2021 film Turning Red, which centered the character Mei Lee, introducing the name to a wide mainstream American audience. This cultural moment helped elevate Mei from a quietly meaningful family name to something more widely recognized and celebrated. Today, Mei ranks at number 1,733 nationally, reflecting its status as a distinctive choice—uncommon enough to feel special, yet increasingly familiar to American parents drawn to its elegance and cultural significance.

Nicknames: M, May, Mea, Mimi

Personality vibes: serene, artistic, resilient, thoughtful, elegant

Sibling name pairings: Luna, Lily, Zoe, Emma, Ava, Iris, Maya, Lian

Middle name ideas: Mei Claire, Mei Elizabeth, Mei Grace, Mei Rose, Mei Sophia, Mei Catherine, Mei Violet

Famous people named Mei:

• Mei Lee — Protagonist of Pixar's Turning Red (2021), bringing the name to mainstream American audiences.

Mei in America Today

Mei occupies a unique space in contemporary American naming culture. It appeals to parents seeking names that feel both modern and rooted in cultural tradition, particularly within East Asian American families and those interested in cross-cultural naming. The name carries sophistication and simplicity simultaneously—it's easy to pronounce in English, yet rich with meaning for those who know its origins. In 2025, Mei reached its peak with 117 newborns receiving the name, signaling growing acceptance and recognition. American parents increasingly view short, meaningful names from other languages as assets rather than obstacles, especially when they carry symbolic weight like the plum blossom. Mei fits this trend perfectly: it's memorable, distinctive without being difficult, and deeply intentional.

Naming Trends

Mei's trajectory in America tells a story of gradual cultural integration and shifting preferences. First recorded in U.S. birth records in 1947, the name remained quiet for decades before beginning a slow climb in recent years. The total of 1,858 recorded births stretches across nearly eight decades, but the acceleration is striking: the name achieved its best rank ever—number 1,733—in 2025, the same year it peaked at 117 births. This recent surge reflects several convergent trends: the growing visibility of East Asian cultures in American media and society, the popularity of short, elegant names in contemporary naming conventions, and the influence of films like Turning Red. Where Mei once might have been primarily chosen by families maintaining cultural heritage, it's now entering the broader naming mainstream, driven by aesthetic appreciation and cultural visibility among diverse American families.

Cultural Notes

Mei's presence in American culture has been significantly shaped by representation and media visibility. The 2021 Pixar film Turning Red, which features Mei Lee as its protagonist, proved to be a watershed moment for the name's American recognition. This positive portrayal introduced millions of American families to a character whose name carries meaning beyond the story itself. Beyond animation, Mei appears across American communities within Chinese American and Japanese American families, often chosen to maintain cultural continuity while remaining accessible in English-speaking contexts. The name's meaning—whether emphasizing beauty, the resilient plum blossom, or brightness—resonates with American parents seeking names with depth. It's worth noting that while Mei is increasingly recognized, it remains sufficiently uncommon to feel distinctive, making it attractive to parents seeking individuality within cultural connection. The name works well for families of all backgrounds seeking meaningful, elegant alternatives to more statistically common American names.

Similar names: meia, meika, meila, meilah, meili, meily, meir, meira

Name length: 3 letters

How common is Mei? About 1 in 28,449 babies born in 2025 were named Mei, or roughly 0.3 per day in the United States.

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