Laakea
An indigenous Hawaiian name meaning "calmness" or "peace of mind".
Name Census estimates that about 207 living Americans carry the first name Laakea. It is a predominantly male name (95.2% of registrations). The average person named Laakea today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Laakea births was 2007 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Laakea. 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
207
~ 1 in 1,655,818 Americans
Peak year
2007
14 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,471
Tracked since 1996
Gender
Gender distribution for Laakea
Laakea leans heavily male at 95.2% of total registrations, but 10 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Laakea as a male name
- Ranked #9,471 in 2024
- 8 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2007 (14 births)
Laakea as a female name
- Ranked #19,178 in 2008
- 5 female births in 2008
- Peak: 2001 (5 births)
Popularity
Laakea: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Laakea from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 79 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Laakea remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Laakea 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 Laakea during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Laakeas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Laakea
The given name Laakea originated from the Hawaiian language and culture. It is derived from the Hawaiian word "lā'au," meaning "wood," "tree," or "plant," combined with the word "kea," meaning "white" or "pale." The name Laakea, therefore, translates to "white tree" or "pale wood."
Historically, Hawaiian names were often inspired by nature, and the name Laakea reflects this tradition. It may have been given to children born under the shade of a pale-colored tree or in a location surrounded by light-hued vegetation. Alternatively, it could have been bestowed upon individuals with fair complexions or light hair, drawing a parallel between their appearance and the color of certain woods.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Laakea can be traced back to the 18th century, during the time of the Hawaiian monarchy. One notable figure from this period was Laakea Kalokuokamaile, a high-ranking chief who lived in the late 1700s and played a significant role in the unification of the Hawaiian Islands under King Kamehameha I.
In the 19th century, Laakea Kahahawai was a prominent Hawaiian scholar and historian who dedicated his life to preserving and documenting the oral traditions and cultural heritage of his people. His works, published in the late 1800s, provide valuable insights into the language, customs, and beliefs of ancient Hawaii.
Another noteworthy individual was Laakea Kanahele, a celebrated hula master and kumu hula (hula teacher) who lived from 1886 to 1965. She was renowned for her expertise in the traditional Hawaiian dance form and her dedication to passing on this cultural treasure to future generations.
In more recent times, Laakea Kealiikanakaoleonapaliku was a respected Hawaiian language educator and advocate who worked tirelessly to revitalize and promote the use of the Hawaiian language throughout the 20th century. She was born in 1920 and played a crucial role in the Hawaiian Renaissance movement, which aimed to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Hawaiian people.
Lastly, Laakea Poepoe, born in 1945, was a renowned Hawaiian musician and composer who helped popularize traditional Hawaiian music worldwide. His compositions blended ancient chants and melodies with contemporary styles, creating a unique and captivating sound that resonated with audiences across generations.
People
Laakea + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Laakea as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Laakea: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Laakea?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 207 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Laakea 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 1,655,818 US residents.
Is Laakea a common name?
We classify Laakea as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 209 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Laakea most popular?
The single biggest year for Laakea was 2007, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Laakea is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Laakea a male name?
Yes, 95.2% of people registered as Laakea 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.