Honi
A Hebrew feminine name meaning "she who is".
Name Census estimates that about 42 living Americans carry the first name Honi. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Honi today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Honi births was 1974 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Honi. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Honi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
42
~ 1 in 8,160,818 Americans
Peak year
1974
8 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
1981 SSA rank
#9,502
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Honi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Honi from the 1940s through to the 1980s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 20 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Honi remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Honi by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Honi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Honi
The name Honi is believed to have originated from the Hawaiian language. It is derived from the Hawaiian word "honi," which means "to kiss" or "to sniff." The name is thought to have been in use as early as the 18th century among the native Hawaiian population.
In Hawaiian culture, the act of honi, or exchanging breaths through a soft touching of noses and faces, was a traditional greeting and a way to share one's life force or essence. The name Honi may have been given to children as a symbolic gesture of affection and connection.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Honi can be found in the journals of Captain James Cook, the British explorer who visited the Hawaiian Islands in the late 1700s. He documented the practice of honi and may have encountered individuals with this name during his travels.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Honi. One such person was Honi Desha (1822-1879), a Hawaiian chief and politician who served as a member of the Hawaiian House of Nobles and was involved in the governance of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Another notable figure was Honi Kekuawalu (1888-1951), a Hawaiian musician and composer known for his contributions to the traditional Hawaiian music genre. He composed several popular songs and helped preserve the cultural heritage of Hawaii through his work.
In more recent times, Honi Faingaa (born 1985) is an Australian professional rugby union player of Tongan descent. He has represented Australia in international competitions and played for several domestic teams.
Honi Poko (1909-1992) was a renowned Hawaiian dancer and educator who dedicated her life to preserving and promoting traditional Hawaiian hula and chant. She was recognized for her efforts in keeping the cultural traditions alive and passing them on to future generations.
Honi Teheiura (born 1974) is a French Polynesian politician and former professional volleyball player. He has served as a member of the Assembly of French Polynesia and has been involved in various political initiatives in the region.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the name Honi throughout history, each contributing to their respective fields and cultures in unique ways.
People
Honi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Honi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Honi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Honi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 42 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Honi going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 8,160,818 US residents.
Is Honi a common name?
We classify Honi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 51.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 51 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Honi most popular?
The single biggest year for Honi was 1974, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Honi is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Honi a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Honi in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.