Pahola
A feminine name of Native American origin meaning "wise river".
Name Census estimates that about 189 living Americans carry the first name Pahola. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pahola today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pahola births was 1993 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pahola. 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
189
~ 1 in 1,813,515 Americans
Peak year
1993
18 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2015 SSA rank
#18,461
Tracked since 1990
Popularity
Pahola: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pahola from the 1990s through to the 2010s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 87 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pahola 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 Pahola during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Paholas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Pahola
The name Pahola has its origins in the Hawaiian language, with its roots dating back to the early history of the Hawaiian Islands. The name is derived from the Hawaiian words "pā," meaning "enclosure" or "sacred precinct," and "hola," meaning "to wander" or "to roam." Together, these elements suggest a meaning akin to "wandering within the sacred enclosure" or "roaming within the sacred space."
In ancient Hawaiian culture, the name Pahola may have held spiritual or religious significance, as many Hawaiian names were closely tied to the islands' rich oral traditions and belief systems. The concept of sacred enclosures or precincts played a crucial role in Hawaiian spirituality, serving as places of worship, ceremony, and reverence.
While no specific historical records or ancient texts directly reference the name Pahola, its linguistic roots suggest a connection to the indigenous Hawaiian culture and the islands' deep-rooted traditions. The earliest known individuals bearing this name likely hailed from the Hawaiian archipelago, though precise dates are difficult to pinpoint due to the limited written records from that era.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Pahola. One such figure was Pahola Kāʻanapu, a Hawaiian scholar and historian who lived in the late 18th century. Kāʻanapu was renowned for his extensive knowledge of Hawaiian genealogies, chants, and oral traditions, and he played a vital role in preserving and transmitting this cultural heritage to future generations.
Another prominent individual with the name Pahola was Pahola Nāpōʻo, a skilled navigator and seafarer who lived in the early 19th century. Nāpōʻo was renowned for his expertise in traditional Polynesian navigation techniques, utilizing the stars, winds, and ocean currents to guide voyages across the vast Pacific Ocean.
In the realm of Hawaiian music, Pahola Leilani gained recognition as a celebrated singer and composer in the late 19th century. Leilani's compositions, deeply rooted in the rich musical traditions of the Hawaiian Islands, helped preserve and promote the islands' unique musical heritage.
Moving into the 20th century, Pahola Kaʻaihue was a respected Hawaiian activist and advocate for indigenous rights. Kaʻaihue dedicated her life to preserving and protecting Hawaiian culture, language, and land rights, leaving a lasting impact on the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.
Lastly, Pahola Malamaʻi was a renowned Hawaiian healer and practitioner of traditional Hawaiian medicine, known as lāʻau lapaʻau. Malamaʻi's extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and healing practices was passed down through generations, contributing to the preservation of this ancient healing tradition.
While these are just a few examples, the name Pahola has been carried by individuals throughout Hawaiian history, each making their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of Hawaiian culture and heritage.
People
Pahola + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pahola as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pahola: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pahola?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 189 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pahola 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 1,813,515 US residents.
Is Pahola a common name?
We classify Pahola as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 193 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pahola most popular?
The single biggest year for Pahola was 1993, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pahola is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pahola a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pahola 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.
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.