Kaiana
A feminine name of Hawaiian origin meaning "the dancer".
Name Census estimates that about 230 living Americans carry the first name Kaiana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kaiana today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaiana births was 2011 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaiana. 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.
People living today
230
~ 1 in 1,490,236 Americans
Peak year
2011
16 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,713
Tracked since 1995
Popularity
Kaiana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kaiana from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 84 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Kaiana remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kaiana 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 Kaiana 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 Kaiana
The name Kaiana originates from the Hawaiian language and culture. It is a beautiful and melodic name that has been used in the Hawaiian Islands for centuries. The name is believed to be derived from the Hawaiian words "kai," meaning sea or ocean, and "ana," meaning light or radiant.
Kaiana is a fitting name for the Hawaiian Islands, which are surrounded by the vast and beautiful Pacific Ocean. The name evokes images of sparkling ocean waves, golden sunsets, and the warm, welcoming spirit of the Hawaiian people.
While the name has ancient roots in Hawaiian culture, there is little recorded evidence of its use in historical texts or religious scriptures. However, it is likely that the name was passed down through oral tradition and used among the native Hawaiian people for generations.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kaiana can be found in the 19th century. Kaiana Kapunahou (1827-1899) was a Hawaiian noble and chiefess who played a significant role in the Kingdom of Hawaii during the reign of King Kamehameha III.
Another notable figure with the name Kaiana was Kaiana Alvarez (1888-1978), a Hawaiian musician and composer known for her contributions to the traditional Hawaiian music genre. Her compositions, such as "Ke Kali Nei Au" and "Aloha Oe," have become enduring classics in Hawaiian music.
In the 20th century, Kaiana Vaughn (1923-2008) was an American actress and dancer who appeared in several Hollywood films and television shows. She was known for her performances in movies like "South Pacific" and "The King and I."
Kaiana Wilcox (1941-2020) was a Hawaiian activist and advocate for indigenous rights. She dedicated her life to preserving and protecting the cultural heritage and land rights of the Native Hawaiian people.
Kaiana Jones (born 1985) is a contemporary Hawaiian artist and sculptor known for her intricate and symbolic works that celebrate Hawaiian culture and traditions. Her sculptures have been featured in numerous exhibitions and galleries across the Hawaiian Islands and the mainland United States.
The name Kaiana continues to be a popular choice among Hawaiian families, reflecting the deep connection to their cultural roots and the beauty of the island's natural surroundings.
People
Kaiana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaiana 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
Kaiana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaiana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 230 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaiana 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 1,490,236 US residents.
Is Kaiana a common name?
We classify Kaiana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 233 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaiana most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaiana was 2011, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaiana is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kaiana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kaiana 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.