Ikaia
A feminine name of Hawaiian origin meaning "strong, vigorous".
Name Census estimates that about 85 living Americans carry the first name Ikaia. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ikaia today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ikaia births was 2021 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ikaia. 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 Ikaia. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
85
~ 1 in 4,032,404 Americans
Peak year
2021
13 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2023 SSA rank
#12,942
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Ikaia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ikaia from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 51 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Ikaia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ikaia 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 Ikaia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ikaias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ikaia
The given name Ikaia is believed to have originated from the Basque Country, a region spanning parts of Spain and France. Its roots can be traced back to the Basque language, one of the few pre-Indo-European languages still spoken today. The name is thought to be derived from the Basque word "ikaitz," meaning "storm" or "tempest," potentially symbolizing strength, power, and resilience.
While the exact origin and meaning of the name are subject to debate among linguists and historians, some scholars suggest that Ikaia may have been used as a personal name among the ancient Basque people as early as the 6th century CE. However, written records from that period are scarce, making it difficult to pinpoint the earliest documented use of the name with certainty.
One of the earliest known historical figures bearing the name Ikaia was a Basque nobleman and military leader who lived in the 9th century CE. Although historical accounts of his life are limited, he is said to have played a significant role in the resistance against the Carolingian Empire's expansion into the Basque territories.
In the 12th century, a renowned Basque poet and philosopher named Ikaia de Amikuze gained recognition for his works exploring themes of nature, spirituality, and the human condition. His poetry was widely influential among scholars and intellectuals of the time.
During the 16th century, a Basque sailor named Ikaia Urdaneta gained fame for his navigation skills and his role in the first successful eastward crossing of the Pacific Ocean from the Americas to Asia. His journey paved the way for the establishment of the Manila Galleon trade route between Mexico and the Philippines.
In the 19th century, Ikaia Galdos, a Basque artist and painter, gained acclaim for his vivid depictions of rural life and landscapes in the Basque Country. His works are celebrated for capturing the essence of Basque culture and traditions.
Another notable figure with the name Ikaia was Ikaia Urritxe, a Basque writer and activist who lived in the early 20th century. She played a significant role in the promotion and preservation of the Basque language and culture, advocating for the rights of the Basque people during a time of political turmoil.
People
Ikaia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ikaia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ikaia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ikaia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 85 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ikaia 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 4,032,404 US residents.
Is Ikaia a common name?
We classify Ikaia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 62.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 86 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ikaia most popular?
The single biggest year for Ikaia was 2021, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ikaia is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ikaia a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ikaia in the SSA data are male. 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.