Kahi
A feminine Japanese name meaning "eternal" or "forever".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kahi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kahi today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kahi births was 2017 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kahi. 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 Kahi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2017
5 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#13,221
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Kahi: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kahi 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 Kahi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kahi
The given name Kahi has its origins rooted in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is believed to have emerged during the ancient times of the Hawaiian Islands, which were settled by Polynesian voyagers as early as the 4th century AD.
Kahi is derived from the Hawaiian word "kahi," which means "place" or "location." This name was likely bestowed upon individuals to signify a connection to a specific place, either a physical location or a metaphorical representation of one's place in society or the world.
In Hawaiian mythology and folklore, there are no specific references to the name Kahi as a prominent figure or character. However, the concept of "place" and the importance of respecting and honoring the land were deeply ingrained in the Hawaiian culture and beliefs.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Kahi can be traced back to the late 18th century, when Hawaiian names began to be documented by Western explorers and missionaries who visited the islands. One notable individual bearing this name was Kahi, a Hawaiian chief who lived in the late 18th century and was known for his involvement in the conflicts between various island chiefdoms.
Throughout history, several individuals have carried the name Kahi, though their fame and significance may have been primarily localized within the Hawaiian Islands. Here are a few examples:
1. Kahi Kahoikahi (1819-1891) was a Hawaiian scholar and translator who played a crucial role in preserving Hawaiian language and culture through his writings and works.
2. Kahi Kānehunamoku (1878-1948) was a prominent Hawaiian musician and composer, known for his contributions to the perpetuation of traditional Hawaiian music.
3. Kahi Kahakupuna (1901-1987) was a respected Hawaiian kumu hula (hula teacher) and practitioner, who dedicated her life to the preservation and promotion of the ancient Hawaiian dance form.
4. Kahi Waialeale (1932-2005) was a Hawaiian activist and environmentalist who fought for the protection of native Hawaiian lands and the preservation of Hawaiian cultural heritage.
5. Kahi Keahi (1952-present) is a contemporary Hawaiian artist and sculptor, renowned for his works that depict and celebrate the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands and its people.
While the name Kahi may not have had widespread global recognition, it has held significant cultural and historical importance within the Hawaiian community, reflecting the deep connection between the Hawaiian people and their land, as well as their rich cultural traditions.
People
Kahi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kahi 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
Kahi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kahi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kahi 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 Kahi a common name?
We classify Kahi 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 Kahi most popular?
The single biggest year for Kahi was 2017, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kahi is about 9 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 Kahi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kahi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kahi 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 Kahi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kahi 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 Kahi 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 Americans are named Kahi?
See how many people share the name Kahi on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.