Kaniala
Feminine name of Hawaiian origin meaning "the beautiful one".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kaniala. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kaniala today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaniala births was 2001 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaniala. 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 Kaniala. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2001
5 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2001 SSA rank
#11,474
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Kaniala: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kaniala 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 Kaniala during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kaniala
The name Kaniala is believed to have its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is a composite name formed by combining the elements "kani" meaning "sound" or "echo" and "ala" meaning "path" or "fragrance." The name can be interpreted as having a poetic meaning, such as "the sound of a fragrant path" or "the echo of a path of fragrance."
In Hawaiian tradition, names were carefully chosen to reflect the circumstances surrounding a child's birth or to encapsulate the hopes and aspirations of the parents for their offspring. Kaniala may have been bestowed upon children born in scenic locations or during significant moments in nature, evoking a connection with the natural world.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Kaniala can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, coinciding with the period when written records began to emerge in the Hawaiian islands. Some notable historical figures who bore the name include:
1. Kaniala Kahoilioholokapu (1804-1868), a high-ranking chief and advisor to King Kamehameha III.
2. Kaniala Kekahuna (1820-1895), a respected kahuna (priest) and expert in traditional Hawaiian healing practices.
3. Kaniala Keawe (1835-1912), a renowned hula master and composer of traditional Hawaiian chants and songs.
4. Kaniala Kanakaloloku (1850-1927), a skilled navigator and captain of Hawaiian sailing vessels.
5. Kaniala Kailianu (1865-1940), a prominent teacher and advocate for Hawaiian language and culture.
While the name Kaniala is deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture, its unique and melodic quality has led to its adoption by individuals from various backgrounds and ethnicities in modern times. However, it is essential to acknowledge and respect the name's cultural heritage and the rich traditions it represents.
People
Kaniala + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaniala 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
Kaniala: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaniala?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaniala 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 Kaniala a common name?
We classify Kaniala 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 Kaniala most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaniala was 2001, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaniala is about 25 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 Kaniala in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kaniala a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kaniala 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 Kaniala still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kaniala 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 Kaniala 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 Kaniala as a first name?
You can see how many Americans are named Kaniala on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.