NameCensus.
Very Rare

Kawayne

A name of Aboriginal origin meaning "having no lips".

Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kawayne. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kawayne today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kawayne births was 1993 (5 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Kawayne. 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 Kawayne. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.

People living today

5

~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans

Peak year

1993

5 babies that year

Average age

32

years old

1993 SSA rank

#9,475

Tracked since 1993

Popularity

Kawayne: popularity over time

Babies born per year

01345

Decades

Kawayne 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 Kawayne during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
1990s505

Origin

Meaning and history of Kawayne

The name Kawayne is believed to have its origins in the indigenous cultures of North America, specifically among the tribes of the Great Plains region. It is thought to be derived from the Sioux language, where the prefix "kawa" is related to the word for "sacred" or "spiritual," and "yne" is a suffix indicating a diminutive or endearing form.

In the early days of European exploration and settlement in North America, explorers and traders often recorded the names of Native American individuals they encountered. Some of the earliest written records of the name Kawayne date back to the late 17th and early 18th centuries, when French and British fur traders documented interactions with various tribes in the Great Plains region.

One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Kawayne was a revered spiritual leader and healer among the Lakota Sioux tribe in the mid-18th century. Historical accounts describe him as a man of great wisdom and spiritual power, revered by his people for his ability to commune with the natural world and interpret the signs and omens of the universe.

In the 19th century, as the United States government sought to expand westward and assert control over Native American lands, many indigenous people were forcibly relocated to reservations. During this tumultuous period, several prominent figures named Kawayne emerged as leaders and advocates for their people's rights and traditions.

One such figure was Kawayne, a Cheyenne warrior and diplomat born around 1835. He played a crucial role in negotiating with the U.S. government and advocating for the protection of his tribe's lands and way of life. Despite facing considerable adversity, he remained a steadfast leader and worked tirelessly to preserve the cultural heritage of his people.

Another notable individual named Kawayne was a renowned artist and storyteller among the Kiowa tribe in the late 19th century. Born around 1860, he was celebrated for his intricate beadwork and ledger art, which depicted scenes from Kiowa culture and history. His works are now considered invaluable records of the tribe's traditions and are held in various museums and collections.

In the 20th century, the name Kawayne continued to be passed down within Native American communities, although its usage became less common as many indigenous languages and cultural practices faced suppression and assimilation policies. However, in recent decades, there has been a resurgence of interest in preserving and revitalizing Native American languages and names, and the name Kawayne has experienced a modest revival among some tribes.

People

Kawayne + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Kawayne 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

Kawayne: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Kawayne?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kawayne 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 Kawayne a common name?

We classify Kawayne 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 Kawayne most popular?

The single biggest year for Kawayne was 1993, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kawayne is about 32 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 Kawayne in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Kawayne a male name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kawayne 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 Kawayne still being used today?

Yes. The SSA still recorded Kawayne 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 Kawayne 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 are named Kawayne?

For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.

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Kawayne

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