Kauai
Kauaʻi, sometimes written Kauai, is one of the main Hawaiian Islands. It has an area of 562.3 square miles, making it the fourth-largest of the islands and the 21st-largest island in the United States. Kauaʻi is 73 miles northwest of Oʻahu, across the Kauaʻi Channel. The island's 2020 population was 73,298.
Meaning & Origin of Kauai
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kauaʻi, sometimes written Kauai, is one of the main Hawaiian Islands. It has an area of 562.3 square miles, making it the fourth-largest of the islands and the 21st-largest island in the United States. Kauaʻi is 73 miles northwest of Oʻahu, across the Kauaʻi Channel. The island's 2020 population was 73,298.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kauai
As a girl name
Kauai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2021, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 6 Kauais were born — ranking #13,458 that year. As of 2026, Kauai ranks #15,292 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 11 Kauais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2020s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Kauai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2001, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 9 Kauais were born — ranking #8,161 that year. As of 2026, Kauai ranks #12,301 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 32 Kauais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kauai
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kauai is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kauai
What does the name Kauai mean?
How popular is Kauai in 2026?
When was Kauai most popular?
Is Kauai a unisex name?
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About the name Kauai
Kauai is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2001 and has accumulated 32 births in the dataset. Kauai's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #8,161. Use the chart and map above to compare Kauai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.