Koah
A name meaning "strength" in Hawaiian.
Name Census estimates that about 1,119 living Americans carry the first name Koah. It is a predominantly male name (90.4% of registrations). The average person named Koah today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Koah births was 2024 (238 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Koah. 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
- • Koah is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 6 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 306,304 Americans
Peak year
2024
238 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,081
Tracked since 2005
Gender
Gender distribution for Koah
Koah leans heavily male at 90.4% of total registrations, but 108 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Koah as a male name
- Ranked #1,081 in 2024
- 201 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (201 births)
Koah as a female name
- Ranked #3,995 in 2024
- 37 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (37 births)
Popularity
Koah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Koah from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 782 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Koah 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 Koah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Koahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 21 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Koah, while Wisconsin, South Carolina, Montana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 22 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Koah
The name Koah is an ancient Hebrew name with origins dating back to biblical times. It is derived from the Hebrew word "koach," which means strength, power, or vigor. The name first appeared in the Old Testament, where it was used as a title or description for God, referring to His mighty power and authority.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Koah can be found in the Book of Job, where it is used to describe the strength and might of the Lord. The verse reads, "He is the one who by his koach stilled the sea" (Job 26:12). This reference highlights the name's association with divine power and sovereignty.
Throughout the centuries, the name Koah has been borne by various individuals, although it was not as common as some other Hebrew names. One notable figure in history who carried this name was Koah ben Judah, a prominent rabbi and scholar who lived in the 12th century. He was known for his extensive contributions to the study of Jewish law and his writings on the Talmud.
Another historical figure named Koah was Koah ben Isaac, a 13th-century Jewish philosopher and mystic from Spain. He was renowned for his work on Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition, and his teachings on the nature of the divine and the soul.
In the 16th century, there was a Jewish scholar and physician named Koah ben Abraham who lived in Italy. He was known for his expertise in medicine and his writings on various topics, including philosophy and theology.
Moving forward in time, one of the most famous individuals named Koah was Koah ben Yitzchak Kaduri, an influential Iraqi-born rabbi and Kabbalist who lived from 1898 to 2006. He was revered for his wisdom and spiritual guidance and was considered a leading authority on Jewish mysticism.
While the name Koah has its roots in ancient Hebrew culture, it has been adopted by people of various backgrounds and nationalities over the centuries. However, it remains a relatively uncommon name, especially in modern times, as many parents have favored more contemporary or traditional Hebrew names for their children.
People
Koah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Koah 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
Koah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Koah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,119 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Koah 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 306,304 US residents.
Is Koah a common name?
We classify Koah as "Rare". It ranks above 90.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,127 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Koah most popular?
The single biggest year for Koah was 2024, when 238 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Koah is about 6 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Koah a male name?
Yes, 90.4% of people registered as Koah 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.
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.