Khari is of uncertain origin and is usually explained as a Swahili name meaning "kingly" or "like a king"; it has been used mainly in African American families since the 1970s. The name is short, soft-sounding and works for both sexes. For boys Khari entered the US top 1000 in 2017, peaked at number 677 in 2020 and has since fallen back to number 1532 in 2025.