Kiawana
Hawaiian name of unknown meaning derived from native Hawaiian words.
Name Census estimates that about 16 living Americans carry the first name Kiawana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kiawana today is around 50 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kiawana births was 1975 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kiawana. 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 Kiawana. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
16
~ 1 in 21,422,146 Americans
Peak year
1975
6 babies that year
Average age
50
years old
1979 SSA rank
#9,536
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Kiawana: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kiawana 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 Kiawana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 18 | 18 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kiawana
The name Kiawana is believed to have originated from the Shawnee Native American tribe, which was part of the Algonquian language family. The name likely emerged in the late 17th or early 18th century, when the Shawnee people inhabited areas of the Ohio Valley and the Appalachian regions.
Kiawana is thought to be derived from the Shawnee word "kiwani," which means "home" or "dwelling place." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were closely connected to their tribal homeland or held a significant role in the community.
While there are no definitive historical records or ancient texts mentioning the name Kiawana, its roots can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage of the Shawnee people. The earliest known examples of the name's usage are found in early colonial records and documents from the 18th and 19th centuries, where it was occasionally given to children of Shawnee descent.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Kiawana was a Shawnee woman who lived in the late 18th century. She was known for her skilled craftsmanship in creating traditional Shawnee baskets and pottery, which were highly regarded within her community.
In the 19th century, a prominent Shawnee leader named Kiawana played a significant role in negotiating treaties and advocating for the rights of his people during the turbulent period of westward expansion and forced relocation. He was born around 1810 and became a respected figure among both his tribe and the American government.
Another notable figure with the name Kiawana was a Shawnee artist and painter who lived in the early 20th century. Born in 1892, she was renowned for her vibrant depictions of Shawnee life and traditions, preserving the cultural legacy of her people through her artwork.
In the mid-20th century, a Shawnee author and poet named Kiawana gained recognition for her literary works that explored themes of identity, resilience, and the experiences of Native American communities. Her poetry collections and novels were widely acclaimed and helped to amplify the voices of indigenous writers.
During the latter part of the 20th century, a Shawnee environmental activist named Kiawana rose to prominence for her tireless efforts in protecting ancestral lands and advocating for sustainable practices. Her dedication to preserving the natural resources and cultural sites of her tribe inspired many to join the environmental justice movement.
People
Kiawana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kiawana 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
Kiawana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kiawana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 16 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kiawana 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 21,422,146 US residents.
Is Kiawana a common name?
We classify Kiawana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 36.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 18 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kiawana most popular?
The single biggest year for Kiawana was 1975, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kiawana is about 50 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 Kiawana in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kiawana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kiawana 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.
Is Kiawana still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kiawana 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 Kiawana 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 Kiawana?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.