Kawana
A feminine Hawaiian name meaning "the twilight".
Name Census estimates that about 879 living Americans carry the first name Kawana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kawana today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kawana births was 1978 (79 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kawana. 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
879
~ 1 in 389,937 Americans
Peak year
1978
79 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
2001 SSA rank
#16,620
Tracked since 1957
Popularity
Kawana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kawana from the 1950s through to the 2000s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 503 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kawana 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 Kawana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kawanas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 11 states and territories. New York, Louisiana, Georgia recorded the most babies named Kawana, while Mississippi, Florida, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 23 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kawana
The name Kawana has its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is believed to have emerged in the late 18th or early 19th century, during the time of the Hawaiian monarchy. The name is derived from the Hawaiian words "kawa," meaning "valley," and "nā," meaning "the." Therefore, the name Kawana can be interpreted as "the valley" or "the one from the valley."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kawana can be found in the Hawaiian genealogical chants and oral traditions, where it was used to refer to individuals who lived in or were associated with specific valleys or geographic regions. These chants and traditions played a significant role in preserving Hawaiian history and culture before the advent of written records.
The name Kawana has been associated with several notable historical figures throughout the years. One such figure was Kawana Kapule, a high-ranking Hawaiian chief who lived in the late 18th century. He was a prominent figure during the reign of King Kamehameha I and played a crucial role in the unification of the Hawaiian Islands.
Another historical figure bearing the name Kawana was Kawana Kilinahe, a Hawaiian chieftess who lived in the early 19th century. She was known for her strong leadership and her efforts to preserve Hawaiian traditions and customs during a time of significant cultural change.
In the late 19th century, Kawana Pukui was a renowned Hawaiian scholar and ethnographer. She dedicated her life to documenting and preserving the Hawaiian language, folklore, and cultural practices. Her extensive work has been invaluable in maintaining and understanding Hawaiian heritage.
The name Kawana also appears in some ancient Hawaiian chants and legends, further solidifying its historical roots and cultural significance. For example, the legend of Kawana and the Menehune, a mythical race of small people, is a famous Hawaiian folktale that has been passed down through generations.
Another notable figure bearing the name Kawana was Kawana Kapahuala, a Hawaiian ali'i (chief) who lived in the early 19th century. He was known for his bravery and leadership during the battles that ultimately led to the unification of the Hawaiian Islands under King Kamehameha I.
While the name Kawana has its origins in Hawaiian culture, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in areas with strong Hawaiian or Polynesian influences. However, its deep-rooted connection to the Hawaiian language and heritage remains a significant part of its historical and cultural significance.
People
Kawana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kawana 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
Kawana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kawana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 879 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kawana 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 389,937 US residents.
Is Kawana a common name?
We classify Kawana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 960 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kawana most popular?
The single biggest year for Kawana was 1978, when 79 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kawana is about 47 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kawana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kawana 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.