Makoi
An inventive Hawaiian name meaning "wind following through trees".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Makoi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Makoi today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Makoi births was 2022 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Makoi. 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 Makoi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
2022
7 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2022 SSA rank
#10,459
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Makoi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Makoi from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 7 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
Makoi 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 Makoi 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 Makoi
The name Makoi is believed to have originated in the Polynesian islands, specifically among the Maori people of New Zealand. It is derived from the Maori words "mako," meaning shark, and "i," which can signify a connection or association. Thus, the name Makoi can be interpreted as "shark-like" or "related to sharks."
In traditional Maori culture, sharks held a significant place in mythology and were often revered for their strength, power, and feared presence in the ocean. Naming a child Makoi was likely a way to imbue them with the qualities associated with these mighty creatures, such as courage, resilience, and respect.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Makoi can be traced back to the 18th century, when written records of Maori names and genealogies began to emerge. One notable figure bearing this name was Makoi Ngapuhi, a prominent Maori chief and warrior who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was known for his leadership and bravery in battles against rival tribes.
Another historical figure named Makoi was a Maori navigator and explorer who lived in the 15th century. According to oral traditions, he played a pivotal role in the discovery and settlement of several islands in the Pacific Ocean, including the Cook Islands and French Polynesia.
In the realm of literature, Makoi appears as a character in the epic Maori poem "The Song of Hinemoa and Tutanekai." This poem tells the story of a tragic love affair between two individuals from different tribes, and Makoi is portrayed as a wise and respected elder who offers guidance to the protagonists.
More recently, the name Makoi has been carried by several notable individuals in New Zealand and the Pacific region. One example is Makoi Polamalu, a Samoan-American football player who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) from 2003 to 2014. He was born in 1981 and is known for his hard-hitting defensive style and philanthropic efforts in the Polynesian community.
Another notable bearer of the name was Makoi Lokeni, a Fijian politician and educator who lived from 1929 to 2008. He served as a member of the Fijian Parliament and was deeply involved in promoting educational opportunities for Indigenous Fijians.
While the name Makoi is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the cultural heritage of the Maori people and serves as a reminder of their rich traditions and connection to the natural world.
People
Makoi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Makoi 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
Makoi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Makoi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Makoi 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Makoi a common name?
We classify Makoi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Makoi most popular?
The single biggest year for Makoi was 2022, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Makoi is about 7 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 Makoi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Makoi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Makoi 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 Makoi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Makoi 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 Makoi 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 are called Makoi?
You can see how many people have the name Makoi on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.