Kojak
Of Greek origin, meaning "bald-headed".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Kojak. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kojak today is around 51 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kojak births was 1974 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kojak. 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 Kojak. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1974
10 babies that year
Average age
51
years old
1975 SSA rank
#5,933
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Kojak: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kojak 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 Kojak 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 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kojak
The given name Kojak traces its origins to the Armenian language and culture, with its earliest recorded usage dating back to the 5th century AD. The name is derived from the Armenian word "koj," meaning "blacksmith" or "metalworker," suggesting a connection to the metalworking trade that was prevalent in ancient Armenian societies.
In the early medieval period, Kojak emerged as a popular name among Armenian communities, particularly in the regions of historical Armenia, modern-day Turkey, and parts of the Caucasus. Its popularity can be attributed to the reverence for skilled craftsmen and the metalworking tradition that played a significant role in Armenian culture.
The earliest known historical figure bearing the name Kojak was an Armenian blacksmith and metalworker who lived in the city of Ani, the former capital of the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia, in the 10th century. While little is known about his life, his craftsmanship and the quality of his work were widely renowned during that era.
Another notable figure named Kojak was a 12th-century Armenian architect and engineer who oversaw the construction of several churches and fortifications in the Kingdom of Cilician Armenia, a state established by Armenian rulers in the Levant region. His architectural works, such as the Cathedral of Ani and the Monastery of Haghbat, are celebrated as masterpieces of medieval Armenian architecture.
In the 15th century, a renowned Armenian scholar and theologian named Kojak Nakhichevan, born in the city of Nakhichevan (present-day Azerbaijan), made significant contributions to the preservation and study of Armenian literature and religious texts. His works played a crucial role in the cultural and intellectual revival of the Armenian people during that period.
During the 17th century, an Armenian merchant and trader named Kojak Kharpertsi, from the city of Kharpert (modern-day Elazig, Turkey), gained prominence for his extensive trade networks and business acumen. He established trade routes connecting Armenian communities across the Ottoman Empire, facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas.
In more recent times, the name Kojak gained widespread recognition through the popular American television series "Kojak," which aired from 1973 to 1978. The show's protagonist, Lieutenant Theo Kojak, portrayed by actor Telly Savalas, became an iconic figure in pop culture, further popularizing the name outside of its Armenian origins.
People
Kojak + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kojak 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
Kojak: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kojak?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kojak 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Kojak a common name?
We classify Kojak as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kojak most popular?
The single biggest year for Kojak was 1974, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kojak is about 51 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 Kojak in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kojak a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kojak 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 Kojak still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kojak 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 Kojak 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 have the name Kojak?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.