Takoa
A Hawaiian given name meaning "fearless" or "brave warrior".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Takoa. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Takoa today is around 3 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Takoa births was 2023 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Takoa. 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 Takoa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2023
5 babies that year
Average age
3
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,957
Tracked since 2023
Popularity
Takoa: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Takoa 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 Takoa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Takoa
The name Takoa is believed to have originated from the Polynesian languages spoken in the Pacific Islands, particularly in the Marquesas Islands. It is thought to be derived from the Proto-Polynesian root word "tao," which means "sacred" or "divine." The name likely emerged around the 16th or 17th century, during the time when the Polynesian peoples were actively exploring and settling the islands of the Pacific.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Takoa can be found in the oral traditions and chants of the Marquesan people. These ancient narratives often featured characters with names reflecting their spiritual or ancestral connections. The name Takoa was likely bestowed upon individuals who were believed to possess a special connection to the divine or who held significant spiritual roles within their communities.
Historically, the name Takoa has been associated with various influential figures in Polynesian societies. One notable example is Takoa Ahupuu, a revered chief and spiritual leader of the Marquesan island of Nuku Hiva in the late 18th century. He was renowned for his wisdom, leadership, and expertise in traditional Polynesian navigation and wayfinding.
Another prominent individual bearing the name Takoa was Takoa Kainuku, a respected orator and storyteller from the island of Hiva Oa in the early 19th century. He played a crucial role in preserving and passing down the oral traditions and cultural heritage of the Marquesan people to subsequent generations.
In the field of Polynesian art and culture, Takoa Teatuavai, a renowned woodcarver and tattoo artist from the Society Islands in the late 19th century, left a lasting legacy. His intricate works showcased the rich artistic traditions of the region and contributed to the preservation of Polynesian cultural identity.
Takoa Kapua, a respected navigator and voyager from the Hawaiian Islands in the early 20th century, was instrumental in reviving the ancient art of wayfinding and long-distance voyaging using traditional Polynesian methods. His expertise and dedication helped inspire a renaissance of indigenous knowledge and practices across the Pacific.
While the name Takoa is rooted in Polynesian cultures, its meaning and significance have resonated with people worldwide, inspiring individuals to embrace their spiritual connections and celebrate their ancestral heritage.
People
Takoa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Takoa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Takoa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Takoa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Takoa 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Takoa a common name?
We classify Takoa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Takoa most popular?
The single biggest year for Takoa was 2023, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Takoa is about 3 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 Takoa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Takoa a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Takoa 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 Takoa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Takoa 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 Takoa 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 Takoa as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.