Shout of spirit or energy
In Japanese martial arts, a 'kiai' is a short shout uttered when performing an attacking move. The term is composed of 'ki', meaning energy or spirit, and 'ai', meaning to join or unite, symbolizing the focus of mental and physical power.
Less common today
Kiai isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #9,405 in 2015.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
