Jakoa
A masculine name derived from Hawaiian meaning "to share or divide".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Jakoa. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jakoa today is around 3 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jakoa births was 2023 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jakoa. 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 Jakoa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
2023
6 babies that year
Average age
3
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,463
Tracked since 2023
Popularity
Jakoa: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Jakoa 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 Jakoa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 12 | 0 | 12 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Jakoa
The given name Jakoa has its origins in the ancient Etruscan civilization, which flourished in what is now modern-day Italy between the 8th and 3rd centuries BCE. It is believed to be derived from the Etruscan word "jakua," meaning "strong" or "courageous."
The earliest known reference to the name can be found in a collection of Etruscan inscriptions dating back to the 5th century BCE. These inscriptions, found on various artifacts such as pottery and bronze vessels, suggest that Jakoa was a relatively common name among the Etruscan nobility and warrior class.
One of the most famous historical figures to bear the name was Jakoa Velthuri, a renowned Etruscan military commander who led the defense of the city of Veii against the Roman Republic in the 5th century BCE. Although ultimately defeated by the Romans, Jakoa Velthuri's bravery and tactical prowess earned him a place in the annals of Etruscan history.
Another notable Jakoa was a poet and philosopher who lived in the 3rd century BCE. Though little is known about his life, a few fragments of his writings have survived, providing insights into the intellectual and cultural life of the Etruscans.
During the Roman era, the name Jakoa fell out of favor, likely due to the decline and eventual assimilation of Etruscan culture into the broader Roman civilization. However, it experienced a resurgence in popularity during the Renaissance period, when there was a renewed interest in classical antiquity.
One of the most famous bearers of the name during this time was Jakoa Boccaccio, an Italian writer and humanist born in 1313. Boccaccio is best known for his groundbreaking collection of short stories, the Decameron, which is considered a masterpiece of medieval Italian literature.
In the 16th century, Jakoa Sansovino, an Italian sculptor and architect, left his mark on the cityscape of Venice with his iconic works, including the Biblioteca Marciana and the Loggetta del Campanile in St. Mark's Square.
While the name Jakoa has remained relatively uncommon in modern times, it has maintained a certain mystique and charm due to its ancient Etruscan roots and association with figures from various periods of history.
People
Jakoa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jakoa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jakoa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jakoa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jakoa 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Jakoa a common name?
We classify Jakoa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jakoa most popular?
The single biggest year for Jakoa was 2023, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jakoa is about 3 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Jakoa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jakoa a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jakoa 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.
Is Jakoa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jakoa in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Jakoa can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Jakoa?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.