Kahawai
An indigenous Hawaiian name meaning "well endowed" or "lavish giver".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kahawai. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kahawai today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kahawai births was 2021 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kahawai. 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 Kahawai. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2021
5 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,057
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Kahawai: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kahawai 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 Kahawai 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 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kahawai
The name Kahawai has its origins in the Māori language of New Zealand. It is believed to have emerged in the 13th century when the Māori people first arrived in New Zealand from their ancestral homeland of Hawaiki. The name is derived from the Māori word "kahawai," which refers to a species of sea fish found in the waters around New Zealand.
In Māori culture, names were often inspired by natural elements, such as animals, plants, and geographical features. The name Kahawai was likely given to individuals who possessed traits associated with the sea or the kahawai fish itself, such as agility, strength, or resourcefulness.
While there are no known ancient texts or religious scriptures that specifically mention the name Kahawai, it has been documented in historical records and genealogies kept by Māori tribes. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 16th century, when it was used by members of various iwi (tribes) throughout New Zealand.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Kahawai was a renowned warrior and leader of the Ngāti Whātua iwi in the late 18th century. He played a significant role in defending his tribe's lands against rival groups during a period of intense inter-tribal conflicts.
Another individual with the name Kahawai was a skilled navigator and explorer from the Ngāpuhi iwi who lived in the early 19th century. He was known for his extensive knowledge of the coastlines and waterways of New Zealand, which he utilized during voyages of exploration and trade.
In the 20th century, Kahawai Te Whetu was a prominent Māori artist and carver who was born in 1928 and passed away in 2008. He was renowned for his intricate woodcarvings and traditional Māori art forms, which helped to preserve and promote Māori cultural heritage.
Kahawai Greensill, born in 1951, was a respected Māori academic and advocate for indigenous rights. He dedicated his career to researching and promoting the revitalization of the Māori language and culture, contributing significantly to the preservation of Māori knowledge and traditions.
Another notable figure bearing the name Kahawai was Kahawai Murupaenga, a Māori leader and entrepreneur who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was instrumental in facilitating economic and social development within his community, and his legacy continues to be celebrated by his descendants and the wider Māori community.
People
Kahawai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kahawai as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kahawai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kahawai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kahawai 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Kahawai a common name?
We classify Kahawai as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kahawai most popular?
The single biggest year for Kahawai was 2021, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kahawai is about 5 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 Kahawai in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kahawai a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kahawai 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 Kahawai still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kahawai 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 Kahawai 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 have the name Kahawai?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.