Abstract Objective This study investigates the relationship between the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurrence in the general population, with a focus on potential gender disparities. Methods The study included 22,952 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Various statistical models were employed to evaluate the association between AIP and CKD occurrence and explore gender-specific differences. Results Adjusted for confounding factors, higher AIP levels showed a mild association with increased CKD risk in the general population. Specifically, individuals in the highest AIP quartile had a slightly elevated odds ratio (OR) for CKD compared to the lowest quartile (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.02–1.52, P for trend = 0.023). Gender-stratified analysis revealed significant differences. Among males, higher AIP levels were significantly associated with CKD risk (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.15–1.94, P for trend