Keao
A Hawaiian name meaning "the bright rays of the sun".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Keao. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Keao today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keao births was 2018 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keao. 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 Keao. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2018
5 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2018 SSA rank
#13,185
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Keao: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Keao 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 Keao during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Keao
The given name Keao is believed to have originated from the Hawaiian language. Its earliest known use can be traced back to the 18th century in the Hawaiian Islands. The name Keao is derived from the Hawaiian words "ke ao," which collectively translate to "the world" or "the light."
Keao was a relatively common name among the indigenous Hawaiian population during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was often bestowed upon children as a symbol of their connection to the natural world and the spiritual realm. The name was particularly popular in the island of Maui, where it was associated with certain cultural traditions and beliefs.
While there are no known instances of the name Keao appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it was documented in some of the earliest historical records kept by European explorers and missionaries who visited the Hawaiian Islands. These records provide valuable insights into the cultural significance and usage of the name during that time period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Keao was a prominent Hawaiian chief who lived in the late 18th century. He was known for his leadership and role in various conflicts and negotiations with European explorers who visited the islands. Unfortunately, the exact dates of his birth and death are unknown.
In the 19th century, a notable figure named Keao Kalama held a position of influence within the Hawaiian monarchy. He served as a trusted advisor to King Kamehameha III and played a significant role in shaping the kingdom's policies and interactions with foreign powers. Keao Kalama was born in 1818 and passed away in 1888.
Another individual named Keao Kaapu was a respected Hawaiian scholar and historian who lived in the late 19th century. He dedicated his life to preserving and documenting the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Hawaiian people. Keao Kaapu's birth and death years are not precisely known, but he is believed to have lived between the 1840s and the early 1900s.
In the early 20th century, a Hawaiian artist and musician named Keao Kaohimaunu gained recognition for his contributions to the preservation and promotion of traditional Hawaiian art forms. He was born in 1892 and passed away in 1971.
Lastly, Keao Neumann was a prominent Hawaiian educator and community leader in the mid-20th century. He played a crucial role in advocating for the rights and representation of Native Hawaiians. Keao Neumann was born in 1908 and lived until 1992.
People
Keao + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keao 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
Keao: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keao?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keao 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 Keao a common name?
We classify Keao 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 Keao most popular?
The single biggest year for Keao was 2018, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keao is about 8 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 Keao in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Keao a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keao 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 Keao still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Keao 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 Keao 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 common is the name Keao?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.