Tai

Tai has independent meanings in different languages. In Māori, tai refers to the sea or tide, giving the name a direct ocean connection. In Chinese, the same Latin spelling can represent different characters and tones; 太, for example, has senses connected with greatness or excess. A Chinese name’s meaning therefore depends on the actual character chosen, rather than on Tai alone.

Figure skater Tai Babilonia gives the spelling a recognizable American association. Families may encounter it through that name, through a language spoken at home, or through its Māori coastal meaning. Its three letters are simple to write, but that simplicity can hide very different cultural stories. Recording the intended language and, for a Chinese name, the characters helps preserve the particular meaning behind the choice.