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
The earliest SSA record of Kauai as a girl name dates back to 2021, when 6 babies received it. 2021 was its biggest year on record, with 6 newborns named Kauai — #13,458 in the national rankings. Kauai last appeared in the published SSA data in 2022, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 11 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2020s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Kauai as a boy name dates back to 2001, when 5 babies received it. 2021 was its biggest year on record, with 9 newborns named Kauai — #8,161 in the national rankings. About 59% of every Kauai on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. Kauai last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 32 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to 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?
What names go well with Kauai?
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.