Keahi
Hawaiian name meaning fiery brightness, flame, or blaze.
Name Census estimates that about 341 living Americans carry the first name Keahi. It is a predominantly male name (91.3% of registrations). The average person named Keahi today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keahi births was 2009 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keahi. 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
341
~ 1 in 1,005,145 Americans
Peak year
2009
21 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,304
Tracked since 1981
Census
Keahi in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 407 people with the first name Keahi, which placed it at #23,894 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#23,894
National first-name rank
People counted
407
407 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Two or more races
43.0% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Keahi
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Keahi is Two or More Races at 43.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (30.5%) and Hispanic (19.2%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Keahi described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Keahi at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Two or more races43.0% · 175
- Asian and Pacific Islander30.5% · 124
- Hispanic or Latino19.2% · 78
- White4.7% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 6
- Black or African American1.2% · 5
Gender
Gender distribution for Keahi
Keahi leans heavily male at 91.3% of total registrations, but 30 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Keahi as a male name
- Ranked #6,304 in 2024
- 14 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2016 (17 births)
Keahi as a female name
- Ranked #16,413 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1997 (8 births)
2020 Census snapshot
The 2020 Census sex table shows Keahi on both sides of the split. Of the 406 people counted with this name, 299 were male (73.6%) and 107 were female (26.4%).
Popularity
Keahi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Keahi from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 134 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Keahi remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Keahi 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 Keahi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Keahis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Keahi
The name Keahi has its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture, stemming from the ancient Polynesian settlers of the Hawaiian Islands. It is derived from the Hawaiian words "ke ahi," which translates to "the fire" or "the flame." This name was likely bestowed upon individuals born during significant volcanic eruptions or those who exhibited fiery personalities or traits.
In Hawaiian mythology, Keahi was the name of a fire deity or god associated with volcanic activity and lava flows. The name held cultural significance, with fire being revered for its ability to provide warmth, light, and protection in the harsh island environments. It was also a symbol of power and transformation, as fire had the capacity to both create and destroy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keahi can be traced back to the late 18th century, when it was mentioned in the journals of Captain James Cook, the British explorer who made initial contact with the Hawaiian Islands in 1778. Cook's records documented encounters with Hawaiian individuals bearing this name, indicating its use among the indigenous population.
Throughout Hawaiian history, several notable individuals have borne the name Keahi. One such figure was Keahi Peleioholani, a high-ranking chief and advisor to King Kamehameha I, who played a crucial role in the unification of the Hawaiian Islands in the early 19th century. Peleioholani lived from approximately 1778 to 1826 and was renowned for his strategic military prowess and wisdom.
Another prominent Keahi was Keahi Luahine, a respected Hawaiian kahuna (priest) and healer who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Luahine was renowned for her vast knowledge of traditional Hawaiian healing practices, medicinal plants, and spiritual rituals. She played a significant role in preserving and passing down ancient Hawaiian customs and beliefs to future generations.
In more recent times, Keahi Pelton (born in 1956) gained recognition as a Hawaiian artist and cultural practitioner. He is celebrated for his intricate wood carvings and sculptural works that depict traditional Hawaiian imagery, myths, and legends. Pelton's art has been exhibited internationally and has contributed to the preservation and appreciation of Hawaiian cultural heritage.
Keahi Allen (born in 1965) is another notable figure, known for his achievements in the field of Hawaiian music. As a composer, musician, and producer, Allen has played a pivotal role in reviving and perpetuating the traditional Hawaiian musical genres of chant, mele (song), and hula. His contributions have been instrumental in preserving and promoting the rich musical heritage of the Hawaiian Islands.
Throughout its history, the name Keahi has held deep cultural significance and has been borne by individuals who have made lasting contributions to Hawaiian society, arts, and traditions. Its connection to the sacred element of fire and its representation of power, transformation, and cultural identity have solidified its enduring legacy within the Hawaiian naming tradition.
People
Keahi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keahi 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
Keahi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keahi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 341 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keahi 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 1,005,145 US residents.
Is Keahi a common name?
We classify Keahi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 345 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keahi most popular?
The single biggest year for Keahi was 2009, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keahi is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Keahi in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 407 people with the name Keahi, or 0.13 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #23,894 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Keahi in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Keahi?
The 2020 Census sex table shows Keahi on both sides of the split. Of the 406 people counted with this name, 299 were male (73.6%) and 107 were female (26.4%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Keahi?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Keahi is Two or More Races at 43.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (30.5%) and Hispanic (19.2%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Keahi most often in the Census?
Two or More Races is the largest reported group for people named Keahi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 43.0% (175 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
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 Keahi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Keahi a male name?
Yes, 91.3% of people registered as Keahi 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 Keahi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Keahi 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 Keahi 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.
How many people have the name Keahi?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.