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ArchivesRe: Kai & Kaia ...
in reply to a message by Ciarda
As far as I know the Hawaiian and Scandinavian derivations given on this site are the only correct ones for Kai as a name. Many of the other "meanings" may well be correct for the word "kai" in various languages. It is always good to know what meanings names have as words in other languages, but that doesn't mean they have been used as names in those languages or that those meanings have any relevance for the historical use of the name.
The Swedish name dictionary I own (Svenska förnamn by Roland Otterbjörk) says that Kaja is a pet form of Karin and does not list the spelling Kaia, and the Norwegian name dictionary Norsk Personnamnleksikon basically gives the same derivation, deriving Kaia from Katrine. I've often wondered why Scandinavian experts don't also see Kaia as possibly being a feminine form of Kai, but all the ones I've seen think of Kaia as a pet form of Katherine and don't relate it to Kai.
The Swedish name dictionary I own (Svenska förnamn by Roland Otterbjörk) says that Kaja is a pet form of Karin and does not list the spelling Kaia, and the Norwegian name dictionary Norsk Personnamnleksikon basically gives the same derivation, deriving Kaia from Katrine. I've often wondered why Scandinavian experts don't also see Kaia as possibly being a feminine form of Kai, but all the ones I've seen think of Kaia as a pet form of Katherine and don't relate it to Kai.
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I've only seen these names spelt as Kaj and Kaja in Sweden.
Kaj is a unisex name in Sweden. I think the female Kaj is a short form of Kaja or a nn for Karin. Another nn for Karin is Kajsa, which is also used as formal name.
The Finnish form is Kaija (short for Katariina). There is also a Swedish word "kaja", which means the bird jackdaw. But this has nothing to do with the name Kaja.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Kaj is a unisex name in Sweden. I think the female Kaj is a short form of Kaja or a nn for Karin. Another nn for Karin is Kajsa, which is also used as formal name.
The Finnish form is Kaija (short for Katariina). There is also a Swedish word "kaja", which means the bird jackdaw. But this has nothing to do with the name Kaja.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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