Kaikoa
A Hawaiian name meaning "joyful celebration" or "victorious triumph".
Name Census estimates that about 191 living Americans carry the first name Kaikoa. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kaikoa today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaikoa births was 2024 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaikoa. 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
191
~ 1 in 1,794,525 Americans
Peak year
2024
20 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,954
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Kaikoa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kaikoa from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 87 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kaikoa 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 Kaikoa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kaikoas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Kaikoa
The name Kaikoa has its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is a combination of two Hawaiian words, "kai" meaning ocean or sea, and "koa" meaning brave or courageous. The name can be roughly translated to mean "brave of the sea" or "ocean warrior."
This name dates back to ancient Hawaiian society, where the ocean played a central role in daily life and survival. It was likely given to individuals who excelled in seafaring, fishing, or other ocean-related activities, and who displayed bravery and strength in the face of the ocean's challenges.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kaikoa can be found in the oral traditions and chants of ancient Hawaiian culture. These chants, known as mele, often recounted the exploits and deeds of legendary figures, some of whom may have borne this name.
Throughout Hawaiian history, there have been several notable individuals named Kaikoa. In the late 18th century, Kaikoa'olohia was a respected navigator and voyager who played a crucial role in the exploration and settlement of the Hawaiian Islands.
Another prominent figure was Kaikoa'aua, a high-ranking chief who lived in the early 19th century and was known for his leadership and military prowess during the turbulent period of Hawaiian history.
In more recent times, Kaikoa Kahele was a renowned Hawaiian musician and composer who helped preserve and promote traditional Hawaiian music and hula during the 20th century.
Additionally, Kaikoa Kalili was a celebrated Hawaiian artist and sculptor, whose works captured the beauty and essence of Hawaiian culture through various mediums.
Lastly, Kaikoa Kuamo'o was a respected Hawaiian scholar and author, whose writings explored the rich history, language, and traditions of the Hawaiian people.
These individuals, among many others, have carried the name Kaikoa throughout the centuries, embodying the qualities of bravery, strength, and connection to the ocean that the name represents in Hawaiian culture.
People
Kaikoa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaikoa 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
Kaikoa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaikoa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 191 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaikoa 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 1,794,525 US residents.
Is Kaikoa a common name?
We classify Kaikoa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 192 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaikoa most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaikoa was 2024, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaikoa 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 Kaikoa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kaikoa a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kaikoa 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 Kaikoa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kaikoa 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 Kaikoa 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 Kaikoa?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.