Mahana
A Hawaiian name meaning "warm, glowing, brilliant."
Name Census estimates that about 59 living Americans carry the first name Mahana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mahana today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mahana births was 2023 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mahana. 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 Mahana. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
59
~ 1 in 5,809,396 Americans
Peak year
2023
10 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2023 SSA rank
#10,045
Tracked since 1999
Popularity
Mahana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mahana from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 24 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
Mahana 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 Mahana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Mahana
The name Mahana is believed to have originated in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is derived from the Hawaiian words "mā" meaning "light" or "bright" and "hana" meaning "work" or "craft." Together, Mahana can be interpreted to mean "bright work" or "brilliant creation."
This name has its roots in the ancient Polynesian traditions and beliefs. In Hawaiian mythology, Mahana was often associated with the sun, symbolizing warmth, vitality, and the creative forces of nature. It was a name given to children born during the sunny and vibrant summer months.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mahana can be traced back to the 16th century, when it appeared in Hawaiian oral traditions and chants. These ancient stories celebrated the beauty of the Hawaiian islands and the spiritual connection between the people and the natural world.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Mahana. One such individual was Mahana Nui, a revered Hawaiian chief and warrior who lived in the late 18th century. He was known for his bravery and leadership during the turbulent times of island conflicts and power struggles.
Another prominent figure was Mahana Kaʻahumanu, who lived from 1768 to 1832. She was a powerful Hawaiian queen and regent, playing a crucial role in the unification of the Hawaiian Islands under King Kamehameha I. Kaʻahumanu was instrumental in promoting Christianity and modernizing Hawaiian society during her reign.
In the realm of sports, Mahana Handley, a Hawaiian surfer, made her mark in the early 20th century. Born in 1895, she was one of the first women to challenge the male-dominated world of surfing and paved the way for future generations of female surfers.
Mahana Kalili, a Hawaiian musician and composer, was born in 1920. He was renowned for his contributions to the preservation and promotion of traditional Hawaiian music. His compositions and performances helped keep the rich cultural heritage of Hawaii alive.
Finally, Mahana Kaunahi, a Hawaiian artist and educator, lived from 1935 to 2018. She was celebrated for her vibrant paintings that captured the essence of Hawaiian life and landscapes. Kaunahi was also a dedicated teacher, inspiring countless students to embrace their artistic talents and cultural roots.
People
Mahana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mahana as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mahana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mahana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 59 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mahana 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 5,809,396 US residents.
Is Mahana a common name?
We classify Mahana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 56.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 60 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mahana most popular?
The single biggest year for Mahana was 2023, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mahana is about 12 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 Mahana in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mahana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mahana 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 Mahana still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mahana 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 Mahana 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 Mahana?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.